Compare towns
Ripton vs Bow vs Chester vs Salisbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Chester has the most affordable homes ($233k median).
Salisbury has the shortest commute (19 min average).
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 | Bow | Chester | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 508Lowest |
8,335Highest |
2,992 |
1,200 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.7±14.2 23% above U.S. |
41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
49.7±4.7 28% above U.S. |
50.6±6.5Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Salisbury and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 11.8%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
16.6%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.8%±7.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.4%±2.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ripton and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±4 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $112,917±$15k 40% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$62,125±$8kLowest 23% below U.S. |
$99,688±$21k 23% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $394,400±$61k 19% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$232,900±$44kLowest 30% below U.S. |
$306,900±$51k 8% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$960±$44Lowest 32% below U.S. |
$1,443±$984 about the U.S. average |
| Bow and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,915 58% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$4,262Lowest 37% above U.S. |
$4,842 55% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.9%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
11.5%±12.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.9%±22.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ripton and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 29% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.2%±8.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow and Ripton 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 | — | #26 of 120 in NH | #49 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Bow School District | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | None in town | Bow High School | Green Mountain Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8Highest |
8.7Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.