Compare towns
Reading vs Ripton vs Troy 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 people working from home (22.9%).
Ripton has the highest household income ($113k).
Troy has the oldest population (median age 65.3).
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 | Troy | West Fairlee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 699 |
508 |
219Lowest |
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±7.6 19% above VT |
47.7±14.2Lowest 11% above VT |
65.3±26.4Highest 52% above VT |
50.3±7.6 17% above VT |
| Troy and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.5%±4.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
16.4%±7.9 VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±5.1 VT: 17.9% |
| Reading and Troy 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% |
51.1%±17.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
29.7%±6.7 VT: 21.4% |
| Troy 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%Highest VT: 43.8% |
9.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
44.6% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.5 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
3.2%±6.3 VT: 7% |
2.8%±2.3Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $85,000±$19k 5% above VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$91,688±$8k 13% above VT |
$76,500±$16kLowest 6% below VT |
| Ripton and Troy 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±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
$187,500±$46kLowest 41% below VT |
$237,200±$35k 25% below VT |
| Ripton and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,100±$331Lowest 11% 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 | $5,754Highest 14% above VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
$2,480Lowest 51% below 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% |
— | 50%±89.6Lowest 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% VT: 10.1% |
13.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.9% VT: 73.2% |
100%Highest VT: 73.2% |
91.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 7 yrs older than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1970 6 yrs older than VT |
1978Highest 2 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 41% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
19 minLowest 19% below VT |
28 min 20% above VT |
| Work from home | 22.9%±10.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
3.7%±5.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
5.5%±5.1 VT: 16.9% |
| Reading and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| 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.