Compare towns
Ripton vs Brookfield vs Wardsboro
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%).
Brookfield has the most people working from home (27.3%).
Wardsboro has the most affordable homes ($299k median).
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 | Brookfield | Wardsboro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 508Lowest |
1,486Highest |
820 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.4% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
47±5.9Lowest 9% above VT |
51.6±7.3Highest 20% above VT |
| Wardsboro 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% |
18.8%±4.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±6.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
29.7%±6.4 VT: 21.4% |
27.4%±3.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Brookfield 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% |
45.3% VT: 43.8% |
38.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
3.2%±2.4 VT: 7% |
0.9%±0.9Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$98,500±$23k 21% above VT |
$62,000±$6kLowest 24% below VT |
| Ripton and Brookfield 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 |
$339,300±$15k 7% above VT |
$299,300±$47kLowest 5% below VT |
| Ripton and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $975±$306Lowest 21% below VT |
$1,479±$224Highest 20% above VT |
| Wardsboro and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,915Highest about the VT average |
$4,560 10% below VT |
$4,345Lowest 14% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
30.4%±27.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
54.5%±58Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Wardsboro and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
6.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
7.7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
87.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.4% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
1978Highest 2 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest about the VT average |
37 minHighest 55% above VT |
27 min 14% above VT |
| Work from home | 17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
13.3%±5.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Brookfield 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 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | River Valleys Unified School District #73 |
| High school in town | None in town | None 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.