Compare towns
Highgate vs Ryegate vs Wolcott
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Highgate has the most expensive homes ($281k median).
Ryegate has the most homeowners (84.7%).
Wolcott has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.4%).
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 | Highgate | Ryegate | Wolcott |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,528Highest |
1,059Lowest |
1,507 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.8% VT: +2.8% |
-0.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44±7.4Highest about the VT average |
41.2±2.6Lowest 4% below VT |
42.4±5.9 about the VT average |
| Highgate and Wolcott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.8%±5.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
23.2%±4.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
22.8%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Ryegate and Wolcott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.2%±5.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
22.1%±1.5 VT: 21.4% |
11.1%±2.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Highgate and Ryegate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 19.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
29.1% VT: 43.8% |
31.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±2.1 VT: 7% |
2.4%±1.4Lowest VT: 7% |
3.4%±2.1Highest VT: 7% |
| Wolcott and Highgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,017±$14kHighest about the VT average |
$66,484±$15kLowest 18% below VT |
$70,259±$10k 13% below VT |
| Highgate and Wolcott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $280,500±$21kHighest 11% below VT |
$219,300±$32kLowest 31% below VT |
$221,300±$23k 30% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $895±$691Lowest 27% below VT |
$908±$236 26% below VT |
$1,059±$118Highest 14% below VT |
| Wolcott and Ryegate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,558 29% below VT |
$3,472Lowest 31% below VT |
$3,930Highest 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.5%±11.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
55.9%±29.7 VT: 48.4% |
75.7%±21.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Wolcott and Ryegate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
14.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
9.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.7% VT: 73.2% |
84.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
1949Lowest 27 yrs older than VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 32% above VT |
28 min 18% above VT |
27 minLowest 13% above VT |
| Work from home | 14.9%±7.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
8.2%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
13.9%±4.2 VT: 16.9% |
| Highgate and Wolcott 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 | #43 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | Missisquoi Valley School District #89 | — | Wolcott School District |
| High school in town | Missisquoi Valley Union High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.