Compare towns
Ira vs Ripton vs Townshend vs Sandgate
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ripton has the highest household income ($113k).
Townshend has the most renters (17.4% rent).
Sandgate has the most affordable homes ($194k median).
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 | Townshend | Sandgate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 381Lowest |
508 |
1,538Highest |
435 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+4.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 54.1±5.5 26% above VT |
47.7±14.2Lowest 11% above VT |
55.6±9.6 29% above VT |
55.7±5.4Highest 29% above VT |
| Sandgate and Townshend 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% |
12%±2.6 VT: 17.9% |
13.1%±7.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Sandgate and Townshend 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% |
19.3%±6.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
26%±11.3 VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
52.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
37.8% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±3.5 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
1.4%±0.8Lowest VT: 7% |
2.3%±2.4 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $71,827±$5k 12% below VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$78,750±$29k 3% below VT |
$69,167±$19kLowest 15% below VT |
| Ripton and Townshend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $272,900±$18k 14% below VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
$287,200±$79k 9% below VT |
$193,800±$31kLowest 39% below VT |
| Ripton and Townshend 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 |
— | $1,074±$80Highest 13% below VT |
— |
| Townshend and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,146 18% below VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
$5,364Highest 6% above VT |
$2,778Lowest 45% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.4%±100 VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
72.5%±23.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest 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 | 14.4%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
8.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.7% VT: 73.2% |
90.9% VT: 73.2% |
82.6%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
94.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 1 yr older than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1959Lowest 17 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 20% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
25 min 6% above VT |
27 min 16% above VT |
| Work from home | 2.3%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
28%±18.7 VT: 16.9% |
34.6%±32.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Sandgate and Townshend 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 | West River Valley Union Education District #72B · West River Valley Union Education District #72A | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Leland & Gray Union Middle & High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 8.1 |
— |
| 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.