Compare towns
Reading vs Ripton vs Old Bennington vs West Fairlee
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Reading has the most renters (15.1% rent).
Ripton has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Old Bennington has the most people working from home (46.7%).
West Fairlee has the most affordable homes ($237k median).
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 | Reading | Ripton | Old Bennington | West Fairlee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 699 |
508 |
182Lowest |
711Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2% VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— | -4.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 51.1±7.6Highest 19% above VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
45±21.3Lowest 4% above VT |
50.3±7.6 17% above VT |
| Reading and West Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.5%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
22.5%±12Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±5.1 VT: 17.9% |
| Old Bennington and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 28.2%±3.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1 VT: 21.4% |
30.8%±8Highest VT: 21.4% |
29.7%±6.7 VT: 21.4% |
| Old Bennington and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46% VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
84.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
44.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.5 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
0%±7.8Lowest VT: 7% |
2.8%±2.3 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $85,000±$19k 5% above VT |
$112,917±$15k 39% above VT |
$168,750±$53kHighest 108% above VT |
$76,500±$16kLowest 6% below VT |
| Old Bennington and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $377,200±$72k 19% above VT |
$394,400±$61k 25% above VT |
$445,500±$105kHighest 41% above VT |
$237,200±$35kLowest 25% below VT |
| Old Bennington and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,100±$331 11% below VT |
— | $1,063±$1kLowest 14% below VT |
$1,113±$171Highest 10% below VT |
| West Fairlee and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,754 14% above VT |
$4,915Lowest about the VT average |
$8,690Highest 72% above VT |
$5,210 3% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.3%±31.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
40%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
50%±89.6 VT: 48.4% |
| Reading and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.4% VT: 10.1% |
8.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
0%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
7.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.9% VT: 73.2% |
93.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
91.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 7 yrs older than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1978Highest 2 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 41% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
28 min 20% above VT |
28 min 20% above VT |
| Work from home | 22.9%±10.6 VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
46.7%±3.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
5.5%±5.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — | Rivendell Interstate School District |
| 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.