Compare towns
Leicester vs Whiting vs Ripton vs Brandon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Whiting has the most renters (34.6% rent).
Ripton has the most people working from home (17.2%).
Brandon has the most affordable homes ($228k 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 | Leicester | Whiting | Ripton | Brandon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,026 |
532 |
508Lowest |
4,120Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | +25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+4.1% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 48.8±3.8 13% above VT |
39.6±2.7Lowest 8% below VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
50.1±3.1Highest 16% above VT |
| Brandon and Leicester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.9%±5.1 VT: 17.9% |
23.5%±6.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
19.2%±4.3 VT: 17.9% |
| Whiting and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 24.5%±6.7 VT: 21.4% |
13%±5.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
22.3%±4.1 VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Leicester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.9% VT: 43.8% |
25.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48%Highest VT: 43.8% |
32.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
6.2%±4 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
2.5%±1.7 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $70,417±$30k 13% below VT |
$91,250±$38k 12% above VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$64,180±$12kLowest 21% below VT |
| Ripton and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $309,700±$107k about the VT average |
$280,400±$36k 11% below VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
$227,800±$23kLowest 28% below VT |
| Ripton and Leicester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,098±$300 11% below VT |
$1,204±$519Highest about the VT average |
— | $1,064±$225Lowest 14% below VT |
| Whiting and Leicester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,822Lowest 24% below VT |
$4,227 16% below VT |
$4,915Highest about the VT average |
$4,241 16% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±40.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
58.3%±37.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
41.7%±15.1 VT: 48.4% |
| Whiting and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.8% VT: 10.1% |
11.5% VT: 10.1% |
8.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
14.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.5% VT: 73.2% |
65.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
84.3% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1951Lowest 25 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 20% above VT |
22 minLowest 7% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 12.7%±5.9 VT: 16.9% |
10%±5.4 VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
9.9%±5.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Ripton and Leicester 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 | — | — | — | #69 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | Otter Valley Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 9.9 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.