Compare towns
Hancock vs Poultney vs Reading vs Ripton
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 affordable homes ($188k median).
Poultney has the youngest population (median age 28.2).
Reading has the most people working from home (22.9%).
Ripton has the highest household income ($113k).
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 | Poultney | Reading | Ripton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 435Lowest |
1,033Highest |
699 |
508 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -33.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+3.2% VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 33.8±11.6 22% below VT |
28.2±4.5Lowest 35% below VT |
51.1±7.6Highest 19% above VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
| Reading 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% |
16.8%±5 VT: 17.9% |
18.5%±4.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Reading and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±3.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±6.6 VT: 21.4% |
28.2%±3.3 VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
38.4% VT: 43.8% |
46% VT: 43.8% |
48%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±3.6 VT: 7% |
22.1%±3.3Highest VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.5Lowest VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3 VT: 7% |
| Poultney and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $76,250±$34k 6% below VT |
$70,536±$11kLowest 13% below VT |
$85,000±$19k 5% above VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
| Ripton and Reading 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 |
$196,600±$43k 38% below VT |
$377,200±$72k 19% above VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
| Ripton and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $939±$19 24% below VT |
$868±$113Lowest 30% below VT |
$1,100±$331Highest 11% below VT |
— |
| Reading and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,511 30% below VT |
$3,450Lowest 32% below VT |
$5,754Highest 14% above VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 3.5%±16.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
23.2%±12.4 VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±31.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
| Reading and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11.4%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.4% VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.5% VT: 73.2% |
56.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
84.9% VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 4 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1969 7 yrs older than VT |
1973Highest 3 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 17% above VT |
31 min 33% above VT |
33 minHighest 41% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 11.7%±5 VT: 16.9% |
11.3%±3.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
22.9%±10.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
| Reading 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 | — | #41 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | — | — | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| 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.