Compare towns
Orford vs Ripton vs Fairlee
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Orford has the most kids (12.3% under 18).
Ripton has the most expensive homes ($394k median).
Fairlee has the most people working from home (23.5%).
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 | Orford | Ripton | Fairlee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,295Highest |
508 |
54Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 48.9±3.3 26% above U.S. |
47.7±14.2Lowest 23% above U.S. |
63.5±7.6Highest 63% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 12.3%±3.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±6.3 U.S.: 22% |
0%±52.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Orford and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.5%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.5%±7.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
37%±54.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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+ | 44% U.S.: 35.7% |
48%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
11.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
20.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0%±26.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $92,571±$24k 15% above U.S. |
$112,917±$15kHighest 40% above U.S. |
$21,071±$13kLowest 74% below U.S. |
| Ripton and Orford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $271,900±$25kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$394,400±$61kHighest 19% above U.S. |
$277,500±$28k 17% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,263±$686Highest 11% below U.S. |
— | $1,057±$620Lowest 25% below U.S. |
| Orford and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,836Highest 87% above U.S. |
$4,915 58% above U.S. |
$3,750Lowest 20% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.8%±10.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
100%±55.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Fairlee and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
50%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
57.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1973Highest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1942Lowest 38 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest 3% below U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
— |
| Work from home | 10.8%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±8.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.5%±30.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Fairlee and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Rivendell Interstate School District | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — |
| High school in town | Rivendell Academy | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.5 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.