Compare towns
Mendon vs Ripton vs Fairlee vs Chittenden
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mendon has the most people working from home (22.5%).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Fairlee has the most affordable homes ($274k median).
Chittenden has the most homeowners (93.5%).
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 | Mendon | Ripton | Fairlee | Chittenden |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,113 |
508Lowest |
1,066 |
1,318Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5% VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+1.1% VT: +2.8% |
-1.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 53.4±10.5 24% above VT |
47.7±14.2Lowest 11% above VT |
56.2±8.7Highest 30% above VT |
50.8±6.3 18% above VT |
| Fairlee and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.6%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
12.2%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
13.8%±2.5 VT: 17.9% |
| Mendon and Chittenden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29%±1.3 VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1 VT: 21.4% |
33.4%±5.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.8%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Fairlee and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.4% VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
46.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
51.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
5.3%±3.7 VT: 7% |
3.8%±1.6 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $100,524±$23k 24% above VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$74,760±$10kLowest 8% below VT |
$106,250±$28k 31% above VT |
| Ripton and Chittenden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $357,000±$44k 13% above VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
$274,200±$39kLowest 13% below VT |
$346,800±$35k 10% 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 | $1,230±$651Highest about the VT average |
— | $1,083±$242Lowest 12% below VT |
$1,125±$488 9% below VT |
| Mendon and Chittenden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,342 6% above VT |
$4,915Lowest about the VT average |
$5,617Highest 11% above VT |
$5,346 6% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 88.6%±42.7 VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
89.2%±71.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
14.8%±55.7Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Fairlee and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.2% VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
14.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
6.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.2% VT: 73.2% |
90.9% VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
93.5%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 28% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
24 min 3% above VT |
28 minHighest 21% above VT |
| Work from home | 22.5%±8.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
15%±7.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
15%±3.6Lowest 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 | Rivendell Interstate School District | Barstow Unified Union School District #49 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None 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.