Compare towns
Pawlet vs Ripton vs Sandgate vs Bethel
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Pawlet has the most kids (20.3% under 18).
Ripton has the highest household income ($113k).
Sandgate has the most people working from home (34.6%).
Bethel has the most renters (16.4% 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 | Pawlet | Ripton | Sandgate | Bethel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,480 |
508 |
435Lowest |
1,736Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.6% VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— | -4.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.9±7.5 11% above VT |
47.7±14.2Lowest 11% above VT |
55.7±5.4Highest 29% above VT |
50.7±3.7 18% above VT |
| Sandgate and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.3%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3 VT: 17.9% |
13.1%±7.5 VT: 17.9% |
11.4%±3.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Pawlet and Sandgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 27.3%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
26%±11.3 VT: 21.4% |
25.5%±3.7Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Pawlet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.5% VT: 43.8% |
48%Highest VT: 43.8% |
37.8% VT: 43.8% |
35.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.9 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
2.3%±2.4 VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $62,273±$14kLowest 23% below VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$69,167±$19k 15% below VT |
$75,822±$7k 7% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $266,200±$44k 16% below VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
$193,800±$31kLowest 39% below VT |
$238,000±$41k 25% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,153±$215Lowest 7% below VT |
— | — | $1,335±$220Highest 8% above VT |
| Bethel and Pawlet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,924 22% below VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
$2,778Lowest 45% below VT |
$5,168Highest about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.6%±21.3 VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
54%±22Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Bethel and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 10%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
9.7% VT: 10.1% |
8.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.8% VT: 73.2% |
90.9% VT: 73.2% |
94.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
83.6%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964 12 yrs older than VT |
1973Highest 3 yrs older than VT |
1959Lowest 17 yrs older than VT |
1966 10 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 40% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
27 min 16% above VT |
28 min 19% above VT |
| Work from home | 20.4%±8.3 VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
34.6%±32.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
7.1%±3.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Sandgate and Pawlet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Mettawee School District #84 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — | White River Unified School District #79 |
| 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.