Compare towns
Hancock vs Mendon vs Ripton vs Sheldon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hancock has the most renters (40.5% rent).
Mendon has the most people working from home (22.5%).
Ripton has the highest household income ($113k).
Sheldon has the most kids (23.7% under 18).
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 | Hancock | Mendon | Ripton | Sheldon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 435Lowest |
1,113 |
508 |
2,267Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +8.5% VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-2.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 33.8±11.6Lowest 22% below VT |
53.4±10.5Highest 24% above VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
40.9±3.5 5% below VT |
| Mendon and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±5.8 VT: 17.9% |
14.6%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
23.7%±3.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Sheldon and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±3.6 VT: 21.4% |
29%±1.3 VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
12.6%±2.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3% VT: 43.8% |
49.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
14.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±3.6 VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.1 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
2%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $76,250±$34kLowest 6% below VT |
$100,524±$23k 24% above VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$78,533±$25k 3% below VT |
| Ripton and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $187,900±$11kLowest 41% below VT |
$357,000±$44k 13% above VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
$272,400±$61k 14% below VT |
| Ripton and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $939±$19Lowest 24% below VT |
$1,230±$651 about the VT average |
— | $1,286±$379Highest 4% above VT |
| Sheldon and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,511Lowest 30% below VT |
$5,342Highest 6% above VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
$3,578 29% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 3.5%±16.9 VT: 48.4% |
88.6%±42.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
0%±27Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Mendon and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.6% VT: 10.1% |
8.2% VT: 10.1% |
8.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
90.9% VT: 73.2% |
89% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 17% above VT |
17 minLowest 28% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
25 min 7% above VT |
| Work from home | 11.7%±5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
22.5%±8.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
13%±3.7 VT: 16.9% |
| Mendon and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | — | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 |
| High school in town | — | — | None in town | None in town |
| 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.