Compare towns
Northfield vs Peru vs Ripton vs Moretown
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Northfield has the most affordable homes ($274k median).
Peru has the highest household income ($152k).
Ripton has the most homeowners (90.9%).
Moretown has the most people working from home (21.4%).
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 | Northfield | Peru | Ripton | Moretown |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,920Highest |
434Lowest |
508 |
1,532 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | +25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+5.7% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 36.4±4.1Lowest 16% below VT |
45.3±8.6 5% above VT |
47.7±14.2Highest 11% above VT |
46.8±3.8 9% above VT |
| Ripton and Moretown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.6%±3.7 VT: 17.9% |
8.5%±5.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3 VT: 17.9% |
17.3%±3.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Moretown and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20%±3.8 VT: 21.4% |
21.4%±5 VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
18%±2.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
54.3% VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
58.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15.1%±2.1 VT: 7% |
1.8%±3.2Lowest VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
3.3%±1.4 VT: 7% |
| Ripton and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $71,768±$13kLowest 12% below VT |
$151,875±$83kHighest 87% above VT |
$112,917±$15k 39% above VT |
$104,423±$7k 29% above VT |
| Peru and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,400±$21kLowest 13% below VT |
$400,000±$105kHighest 26% above VT |
$394,400±$61k 25% above VT |
$380,800±$36k 20% above VT |
| Peru and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,018±$207 18% below VT |
$1,271±$820Highest about the VT average |
— | $838±$462Lowest 32% below VT |
| Peru and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,878Lowest 3% below VT |
$5,000 about the VT average |
$4,915 about the VT average |
$5,506Highest 9% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.3%±17.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
29%±47.8 VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
16.1%±14.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Northfield and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
1.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
3.1% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
79% VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
84.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 20 yrs older than VT |
1981 5 yrs newer than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 16% above VT |
28 minHighest 19% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
25 min 6% above VT |
| Work from home | 12.1%±4.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
13.3%±16.4 VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
21.4%±6.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Moretown 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 | #42 of 70 in VT | — | — | — |
| School district | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 | — | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 |
| High school in town | Northfield Middle/High School | — | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.0 |
— | — | — |
| 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.