Compare towns
Northfield vs Reading vs Ripton vs Williamstown
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 renters (26.5% rent).
Reading has the most people working from home (22.9%).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Williamstown has the most affordable homes ($235k 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 | Northfield | Reading | Ripton | Williamstown |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,920Highest |
699 |
508Lowest |
3,579 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+3.2% VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+3.7% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 36.4±4.1Lowest 16% below VT |
51.1±7.6Highest 19% above VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
42±5 about the VT average |
| Reading and Ripton 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% |
18.5%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
19.9%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Williamstown and Reading 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% |
28.2%±3.3 VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
17%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.6% VT: 43.8% |
46% VT: 43.8% |
48%Highest VT: 43.8% |
17.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15.1%±2.1 VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.5Lowest VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
4.8%±3.2 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 |
$85,000±$19k 5% above VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$94,418±$10k 16% above VT |
| Ripton and Williamstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,400±$21k 13% below VT |
$377,200±$72k 19% above VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
$234,900±$24kLowest 26% below VT |
| Ripton and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,018±$207Lowest 18% below VT |
$1,100±$331 11% below VT |
— | $1,659±$189Highest 34% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,878 3% below VT |
$5,754Highest 14% above VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
$3,841Lowest 24% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.3%±17.7 VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±31.7 VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
83.7%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Williamstown and Northfield 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% |
8.4% VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
8.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
84.9% VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
90.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 20 yrs older than VT |
1969 7 yrs older than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 16% above VT |
33 minHighest 41% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
23 minLowest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 12.1%±4.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
22.9%±10.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
13.9%±6.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Reading 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 | — | — | #47 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 |
| High school in town | Northfield Middle/High School | None in town | None in town | Williamstown Middle/High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.0Highest |
— | — | 9.5Lowest |
| 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.