Compare towns
Reading vs Rochester vs Ripton vs West Windsor
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).
Rochester has the most people working from home (40.8%).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
West Windsor has the most homeowners (97.9%).
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 | Rochester | Ripton | West Windsor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 699 |
1,389Highest |
508Lowest |
1,171 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2% VT: +2.8% |
-3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+22.3% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 51.1±7.6 19% above VT |
53.3±7.6 24% above VT |
47.7±14.2Lowest 11% above VT |
54±5.9Highest 25% above VT |
| West Windsor and Rochester 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% |
10.4%±3.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3 VT: 17.9% |
19.8%±10Highest VT: 17.9% |
| West Windsor 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% |
31.5%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1 VT: 21.4% |
25.5%±6.7Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Rochester 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%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
49% VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
59.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.5 VT: 7% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
6.1%±3.6 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $85,000±$19k 5% above VT |
$72,676±$8kLowest 11% below VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$108,750±$18k 34% above VT |
| Ripton and West Windsor 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 |
$253,600±$81kLowest 20% below VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
$393,500±$41k 24% above VT |
| Ripton and West Windsor 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 |
$929±$158Lowest 25% below VT |
— | $1,100±$217Highest 11% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,754 14% above VT |
$3,977Lowest 21% below VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
$5,860Highest 16% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.3%±31.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
62.4%±27.8 VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Reading and Rochester 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% |
18.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
3.7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
86.1% VT: 73.2% |
90.9% VT: 73.2% |
97.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 7 yrs older than VT |
1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 41% above VT |
27 min 17% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
28 min 20% above VT |
| Work from home | 22.9%±10.6 VT: 16.9% |
40.8%±27.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
16.1%±3.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Rochester and Reading 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 | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Mount Ascutney School District #86 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.