Compare towns
Ira vs Ripton vs Westminster
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 oldest population (median age 54.1).
Ripton has the highest household income ($113k).
Westminster has the most people working from home (27%).
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 381Lowest |
508 |
2,999Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-5.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 54.1±5.5Highest 26% above VT |
47.7±14.2Lowest 11% above VT |
53.5±3.7 24% above VT |
| Ira and Westminster 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% |
18.2%±4.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Westminster 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% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
27.6%±6.8Lowest 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% |
46.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±3.5Lowest VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
4.4%±3.1 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,827±$5k 12% below VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$71,491±$4kLowest 12% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $272,900±$18kLowest 14% below VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
$273,800±$35k 14% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $942±$52Highest 24% below VT |
— | $916±$126Lowest 26% 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 |
$4,063Lowest 19% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.4%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
49.2%±7.5 VT: 48.4% |
| Ripton and Westminster 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%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.8% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.7% VT: 73.2% |
90.9%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 |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 20% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 2.3%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
27%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Westminster and Ripton 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 | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Bellows Falls Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.6 |
| 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.