Compare towns
Ripton vs Barre vs Bennington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).
Bennington has the most kids (17.7% 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 | Barre | Bennington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 508Lowest |
8,412 |
15,249Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-2.7% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.7±14.2Highest 11% above VT |
42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
| Ripton and Bennington 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% |
13.5%±3.8 VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Bennington and Barre 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% |
19.4%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8 VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48%Highest VT: 43.8% |
36.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
36.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$65,625±$7k 19% below VT |
$59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
$210,400±$15kLowest 34% below VT |
$213,300±$15k 33% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,093±$58Lowest 11% below VT |
$1,133±$63Highest 8% below VT |
| Bennington and Barre 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 |
$5,192Highest 3% above VT |
$4,513Lowest 10% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington 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% |
17.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
13.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
58.4% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Highest 3 yrs older than VT |
1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1961 15 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest about the VT average |
19 min 21% below VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
| Work from home | 17.2%±8.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
| Ripton and Bennington 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 | — | #19 of 70 in VT | #58 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 |
| High school in town | None in town | Spaulding Union High School | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7Lowest |
14.7Highest |
| 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.