Compare towns
Ripton vs Athens vs Plainfield
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).
Athens has the most affordable homes ($240k median).
Plainfield has the most kids (16.3% under 18).
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 | Ripton | Athens | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 508 |
431Lowest |
1,314Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— | -0.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
47.3±6.5Lowest 10% above VT |
48.1±5.5Highest 12% above VT |
| Plainfield and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
13.9%±6.5 VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Plainfield and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.6%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48% VT: 43.8% |
30.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
4.9%±3 VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$68,438±$30kLowest 16% below VT |
$69,250±$31k 15% below VT |
| Ripton and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
$240,400±$32kLowest 24% below VT |
$318,400±$34k about the VT average |
| Ripton and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,125±$537Lowest 9% below VT |
$1,153±$103Highest 7% below VT |
| Plainfield and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,915 about the VT average |
$5,438Highest 8% above VT |
$4,806Lowest 5% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
43.5%±39Lowest VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
12.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
11.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
73.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
80.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Highest 3 yrs older than VT |
1973Highest 3 yrs older than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the VT average |
36 minHighest 53% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
19.3%±7.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Athens and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.