Compare towns
Ira vs Northfield vs Ripton vs Mount Tabor
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ira has the most affordable homes ($273k median).
Northfield has the most kids (14.6% under 18).
Ripton has the most people working from home (17.2%).
Mount Tabor has the oldest population (median age 57.8).
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 | Ira | Northfield | Ripton | Mount Tabor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 381 |
5,920Highest |
508 |
304Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 54.1±5.5 26% above VT |
36.4±4.1Lowest 16% below VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
57.8±10.6Highest 34% above VT |
| Mount Tabor and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 10.5%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
14.6%±3.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3 VT: 17.9% |
10.2%±6.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Northfield and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 28.9%±3.3 VT: 21.4% |
20%±3.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1 VT: 21.4% |
42.4%±18.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Mount Tabor and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.1% VT: 43.8% |
34.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48%Highest VT: 43.8% |
34.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±3.5 VT: 7% |
15.1%±2.1 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
1.6%±4Lowest VT: 7% |
| Ripton and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $71,827±$5k 12% below VT |
$71,768±$13kLowest 12% below VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
— |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $272,900±$18kLowest 14% below VT |
$274,400±$21k 13% below VT |
$394,400±$61k 25% above VT |
$420,500±$76kHighest 33% above VT |
| Mount Tabor and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $942±$52Lowest 24% below VT |
$1,018±$207 18% below VT |
— | $2,143±$367Highest 74% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,146Lowest 18% below VT |
$4,878 3% below VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
$5,233Highest 4% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.4%±100 VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±17.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Northfield and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 14.4%Highest VT: 10.1% |
12.5% VT: 10.1% |
8.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.7% VT: 73.2% |
73.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.9% VT: 73.2% |
92.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 1 yr older than VT |
1956 20 yrs older than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1946Lowest 30 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 20% above VT |
27 min 16% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
46 minHighest 94% above VT |
| Work from home | 2.3%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
12.1%±4.3 VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.4%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
| Ripton and Northfield 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 | — | #42 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | — | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — |
| High school in town | — | Northfield Middle/High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.0 |
— | — |
| 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.