Compare towns
Guildhall vs Ripton vs Westminster vs Belvidere
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Guildhall has the most homeowners (93.7%).
Ripton has the most expensive homes ($394k median).
Westminster has the most people working from home (27%).
Belvidere has the most affordable homes ($239k median).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Guildhall | Ripton | Westminster | Belvidere |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 371Lowest |
508 |
2,999Highest |
422 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-5.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 42.6±7.8 about the VT average |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
53.5±3.7Highest 24% above VT |
40.7±6.5Lowest 6% below VT |
| Westminster and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.6%±7.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.2%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
22%±4 VT: 17.9% |
| Guildhall and Belvidere are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±5.5 VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
27.6%±6.8 VT: 21.4% |
8.8%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48%Highest VT: 43.8% |
46.3% VT: 43.8% |
35.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.1%±3.1Lowest VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
4.4%±3.1 VT: 7% |
1.4%±1.3 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $115,000±$46kHighest 42% above VT |
$112,917±$15k 39% above VT |
$71,491±$4kLowest 12% below VT |
$81,563±$18k about the VT average |
| Guildhall and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $321,200±$62k about the VT average |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
$273,800±$35k 14% below VT |
$239,200±$51kLowest 24% below VT |
| Ripton and Guildhall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $850±$717Lowest 31% below VT |
— | $916±$126 26% below VT |
$1,542±$1kHighest 25% above VT |
| Belvidere and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,625 8% below VT |
$4,915Highest about the VT average |
$4,063 19% below VT |
$3,908Lowest 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 75%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
49.2%±7.5Lowest VT: 48.4% |
66.7%±53.8 VT: 48.4% |
| Guildhall and Belvidere are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.9%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
8.8% VT: 10.1% |
5.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
90.9% VT: 73.2% |
88.2% VT: 73.2% |
86.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 18 yrs older than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
1989Highest 13 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 7% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
38 minHighest 60% above VT |
| Work from home | 2.3%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
27%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
9.4%±7.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Westminster and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #53 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Bellows Falls Union High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.6 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
VT average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.