Compare towns
Orwell vs Mendon 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
Mendon has the most people working from home (22.5%).
Ripton has the highest household income ($113k).
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 | Mendon | Ripton | Whiting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,294Highest |
1,113 |
508Lowest |
532 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.9%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+8.5% VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 47.5±7 10% above VT |
53.4±10.5Highest 24% above VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
39.6±2.7Lowest 8% below VT |
| Mendon 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% |
14.6%±5.2 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% |
29%±1.3 VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
13%±5.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Mendon 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% |
49.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
25.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.9 VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
6.2%±4 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $70,417±$22kLowest 13% below VT |
$100,524±$23k 24% above VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$91,250±$38k 12% above VT |
| Ripton and Mendon 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 |
$357,000±$44k 13% above VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
$280,400±$36kLowest 11% below VT |
| Ripton and Mendon 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 |
$1,230±$651Highest about the VT average |
— | $1,204±$519 about the VT average |
| Mendon and Whiting 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 |
$5,342Highest 6% above VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
$4,227 16% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.1%±35.9 VT: 48.4% |
88.6%±42.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
58.3%±37.3 VT: 48.4% |
| Mendon and Orwell 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% |
8.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
11.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.3% VT: 73.2% |
92.2%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 |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 15% above VT |
17 minLowest 28% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
22 min 7% below VT |
| Work from home | 13.3%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
22.5%±8.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
10%±5.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Mendon 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 | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 |
| High school 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.