Compare towns
Reading vs Ripton vs Westminster vs Westminster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ripton has the highest household income ($113k).
Westminster has the most kids (28.4% under 18).
Westminster has the most people working from home (27%).
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 | Westminster | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 699 |
508 |
497Lowest |
2,999Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2% VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— | -5.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 51.1±7.6 19% above VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
43.3±11.5Lowest about the VT average |
53.5±3.7Highest 24% above VT |
| Westminster and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.5%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
28.4%±7.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.2%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Westminster and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 28.2%±3.3 VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.7%±11.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
27.6%±6.8 VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Reading 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% |
45.4%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
46.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.5 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
2.2%±3.5Lowest VT: 7% |
4.4%±3.1 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $85,000±$19k 5% above VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$81,000±$22k about the VT average |
$71,491±$4kLowest 12% below VT |
| Ripton and Reading 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 |
$313,600±$39k about the VT average |
$273,800±$35kLowest 14% 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±$331Highest 11% below VT |
— | $749±$315Lowest 39% below VT |
$916±$126 26% below VT |
| Reading and Westminster 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 |
$4,480 11% below VT |
$4,063Lowest 19% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.3%±31.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
6.1%±43.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
49.2%±7.5 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% |
2.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9% VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.2% 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 |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 41% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
30 min 26% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 22.9%±10.6 VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
23.1%±15.9 VT: 16.9% |
27%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Westminster and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #53 of 70 in VT | #53 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — | Bellows Falls Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 10.6 |
| 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.