Compare towns
Hardwick vs Ripton vs Salisbury vs Walden
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hardwick has the most affordable homes ($185k median).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Salisbury has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Walden has the most people working from home (21.4%).
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 | Hardwick | Ripton | Salisbury | Walden |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,965Highest |
508Lowest |
1,200 |
1,037 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+7.5% VT: +2.8% |
+2.2% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.1±7.4Lowest 9% above VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
50.6±6.5Highest 17% above VT |
48.8±3.2 13% above VT |
| Salisbury and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.8%±4.4 VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
16.6%±3.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.3%±3.9 VT: 17.9% |
| Salisbury and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 27%±5.9 VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
30.4%±2.9 VT: 21.4% |
20.4%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.7% VT: 43.8% |
48%Highest VT: 43.8% |
34.6% VT: 43.8% |
26.4%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2.4 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
1.6%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
4%±2.1 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $92,297±$17k 14% above VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$99,688±$21k 23% above VT |
$88,000±$15kLowest 8% above VT |
| Ripton and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $184,700±$39kLowest 42% below VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
$306,900±$51k 3% below VT |
$238,900±$23k 25% below VT |
| Ripton and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $875±$406Lowest 29% below VT |
— | $1,443±$984Highest 17% above VT |
$900±$136 27% below VT |
| Salisbury and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,351 14% below VT |
$4,915Highest about the VT average |
$4,842 4% below VT |
$3,944Lowest 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±41.3 VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
31.9%±22.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
56.3%±86.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Walden and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
4.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.9% VT: 73.2% |
88.7% VT: 73.2% |
93.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Lowest 14 yrs older than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1967 9 yrs older than VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 23% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
19 minLowest 20% below VT |
26 min 10% above VT |
| Work from home | 11.8%±6 VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
6%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
21.4%±6.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Walden 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 | #68 of 70 in VT | — | — | — |
| School district | Mountain View Union Elementary School District #94 · Hazen Union High School District #26 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 |
| High school in town | Hazen Union High School | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.6 |
— | — | — |
| 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.