Compare towns
Ira vs Ripton vs Mendon vs Westmore
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).
Ripton has the highest household income ($113k).
Mendon has the most people working from home (22.5%).
Westmore has the most kids (21.5% 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 | Ira | Ripton | Mendon | Westmore |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 381Lowest |
508 |
1,113Highest |
465 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+8.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 54.1±5.5Highest 26% above VT |
47.7±14.2Lowest 11% above VT |
53.4±10.5 24% above VT |
51.5±11.5 19% above VT |
| Ira and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 10.5%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3 VT: 17.9% |
14.6%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
21.5%±6.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Westmore and Mendon 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% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
29%±1.3 VT: 21.4% |
28%±3.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Mendon 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% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
49.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
32.2%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±3.5 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.1 VT: 7% |
2.4%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $71,827±$5kLowest 12% below VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$100,524±$23k 24% above VT |
$87,188±$11k 7% above VT |
| Ripton and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $272,900±$18kLowest 14% below VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
$357,000±$44k 13% above VT |
$330,000±$137k 4% above VT |
| Ripton and Mendon 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 |
— | $1,230±$651Highest about the VT average |
$1,050±$820 15% below VT |
| Mendon and Westmore are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,146Lowest 18% below VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
$5,342 6% above VT |
$5,357Highest 6% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.4%±100 VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
88.6%±42.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
35%±94.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Mendon 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% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
8.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.7% VT: 73.2% |
90.9% VT: 73.2% |
92.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
88.2%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 1 yr older than VT |
1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 20% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
17 minLowest 28% below VT |
35 minHighest 49% above VT |
| Work from home | 2.3%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
22.5%±8.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
14%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Mendon and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — | — |
| High school 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.