Compare towns
Hardwick vs Ripton vs Townshend vs Windham
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 the highest household income ($113k).
Townshend has the most people working from home (28%).
Windham has the most kids (17.5% 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 | Hardwick | Ripton | Townshend | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,965Highest |
508Lowest |
1,538 |
594 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+4.8% VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 47.1±7.4 9% above VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
55.6±9.6Highest 29% above VT |
44.2±7.4Lowest about the VT average |
| Townshend and Ripton 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% |
12%±2.6 VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Windham 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% |
19.3%±6.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1 VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
52.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2.4 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
1.4%±0.8 VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $92,297±$17k 14% above VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$78,750±$29kLowest 3% below VT |
$94,500±$12k 16% above VT |
| Ripton and Windham 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 |
$287,200±$79k 9% below VT |
$353,900±$20k 12% above VT |
| Ripton and Windham 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 |
— | $1,074±$80Highest 13% below VT |
— |
| Townshend and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,351Lowest 14% below VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
$5,364 6% above VT |
$5,951Highest 18% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±41.3 VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
72.5%±23.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Townshend and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.7% VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
8.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.9%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
82.6% VT: 73.2% |
82.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Lowest 14 yrs older than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 23% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
25 min 6% above VT |
27 min 14% above VT |
| Work from home | 11.8%±6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
28%±18.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Townshend and Windham 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 | West River Valley Union Education District #72B · West River Valley Union Education District #72A | — |
| High school in town | Hazen Union High School | None in town | Leland & Gray Union Middle & High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.6Highest |
— | 8.1Lowest |
— |
| 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.