Compare towns
Orange vs Peru vs Ripton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Orange has the most affordable homes ($222k median).
Peru has the highest household income ($152k).
Ripton has the most people working from home (17.2%).
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 | Orange | Peru | Ripton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 957Highest |
434Lowest |
508 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | +25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 50.3±5.3Highest 17% above VT |
45.3±8.6Lowest 5% above VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
| Orange and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.6%±4.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
8.5%±5.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3 VT: 17.9% |
| Orange and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21.4%±5 VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest 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+ | 22.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
54.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
1.8%±3.2Lowest VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,302±$13kLowest 12% below VT |
$151,875±$83kHighest 87% above VT |
$112,917±$15k 39% 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 | $222,000±$22kLowest 30% below VT |
$400,000±$105kHighest 26% above VT |
$394,400±$61k 25% 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 | $1,330±$153Highest 8% above VT |
$1,271±$820Lowest about the VT average |
— |
| Orange and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,545Lowest 30% below VT |
$5,000Highest about the VT average |
$4,915 about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±87Lowest VT: 48.4% |
29%±47.8 VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Ripton and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.6% VT: 10.1% |
1.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.8% VT: 73.2% |
79%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 19% above VT |
28 minHighest 19% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 13.5%±4.3 VT: 16.9% |
13.3%±16.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Ripton and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Echo Valley Community Union School District #67 | — | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| 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.