Compare towns
Ira vs Ripton vs Westminster 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).
Westminster has the most kids (28.4% under 18).
Sandgate has the most people working from home (34.6%).
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 | Westminster | Sandgate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 381Lowest |
508Highest |
497 |
435 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +25.7% VT: +2.8% |
— | — |
| Median age | 54.1±5.5 26% above VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
43.3±11.5Lowest about the VT average |
55.7±5.4Highest 29% above VT |
| Sandgate and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 10.5%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3 VT: 17.9% |
28.4%±7.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.1%±7.5 VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 28.9%±3.3 VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.7%±11.4Lowest 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%Highest VT: 43.8% |
45.4% 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% |
2.2%±3.5Lowest 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 |
$81,000±$22k about the VT average |
$69,167±$19kLowest 15% below VT |
| Ripton and Westminster 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 |
$313,600±$39k about the VT average |
$193,800±$31kLowest 39% below VT |
| Ripton and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $942±$52Highest 24% below VT |
— | $749±$315Lowest 39% below VT |
— |
| Ira and Westminster 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 |
$4,915Highest about the VT average |
$4,480 11% below VT |
$2,778Lowest 45% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.4%±100 VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
6.1%±43.8 VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Ripton and Ira 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% |
2.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.7% VT: 73.2% |
90.9% VT: 73.2% |
80.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
94.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 1 yr older than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1959 17 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 20% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
30 minHighest 26% above VT |
27 min 16% above VT |
| Work from home | 2.3%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
23.1%±15.9 VT: 16.9% |
34.6%±32.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Sandgate and Westminster 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 | — | — | #53 of 70 in VT | — |
| 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.