Compare towns
Orwell vs Cornwall vs Ripton vs Whiting
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cornwall has the most people working from home (24.4%).
Ripton has the oldest housing (typical home built 1973).
Whiting has the most renters (34.6% rent).
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 | Orwell | Cornwall | Ripton | Whiting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,294Highest |
1,208 |
508Lowest |
532 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.9%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.9% VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 47.5±7 10% above VT |
50.4±4.6Highest 17% above VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
39.6±2.7Lowest 8% below VT |
| Cornwall and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±5.4 VT: 17.9% |
18.7%±3 VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
23.5%±6.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Whiting and Orwell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 24%±3.1 VT: 21.4% |
25.7%±6.1 VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
13%±5.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Cornwall 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% |
54.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
25.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
3.7%±3.1 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
6.2%±4 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $70,417±$22kLowest 13% below VT |
$114,583±$32kHighest 41% above VT |
$112,917±$15k 39% above VT |
$91,250±$38k 12% above VT |
| Cornwall and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $335,600±$25k 6% above VT |
$458,000±$49kHighest 45% above VT |
$394,400±$61k 25% above VT |
$280,400±$36kLowest 11% below VT |
| Cornwall and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,105±$51Lowest 10% below VT |
$1,125±$206 9% below VT |
— | $1,204±$519Highest about the VT average |
| Whiting and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,914Lowest 22% below VT |
$6,726Highest 33% above VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
$4,227 16% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.1%±35.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
61.9%±65.5 VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
58.3%±37.3 VT: 48.4% |
| Orwell and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 10.8% VT: 10.1% |
0.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
11.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.3% VT: 73.2% |
94.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
90.9% VT: 73.2% |
65.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 15% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
24 min about the VT average |
22 minLowest 7% below VT |
| Work from home | 13.3%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
24.4%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
10%±5.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Cornwall and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 |
| High school in town | None 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.