Compare towns
Ripton vs Cabot vs Chester vs Andover
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).
Cabot has the most kids (27.2% under 18).
Chester has the most affordable homes ($233k median).
Andover has the most people working from home (29.6%).
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 | Cabot | Chester | Andover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 508Lowest |
1,579 |
2,992Highest |
616 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+0.7% VT: +2.8% |
-4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
40.3±6.6Lowest 6% below VT |
49.7±4.7Highest 15% above VT |
49.2±5.1 14% above VT |
| Chester and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 11.8%±6.3 VT: 17.9% |
27.2%±5.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.1%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
11.5%±4.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
21%±6.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.8%±7.9 VT: 21.4% |
22.7%±4.3 VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Chester 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% |
44.7% VT: 43.8% |
33.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
43.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
2.2%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
5.1%±4 VT: 7% |
2.8%±1.5 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$77,031±$16k 5% below VT |
$62,125±$8kLowest 23% below VT |
$102,500±$38k 26% above VT |
| Ripton and Andover 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 |
$268,500±$77k 15% below VT |
$232,900±$44kLowest 26% below VT |
$382,900±$68k 21% above VT |
| Ripton and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,243±$354 about the VT average |
$960±$44Lowest 22% below VT |
$1,389±$364Highest 13% above VT |
| Andover and Cabot 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 |
$4,639 8% below VT |
$4,262Lowest 15% below VT |
$5,190Highest about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
44.1%±26.7 VT: 48.4% |
11.5%±12.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
69.4%±47.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Andover and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.6% VT: 10.1% |
9%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7% VT: 10.1% |
4.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
83.7% VT: 73.2% |
86.7% VT: 73.2% |
82.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest about the VT average |
30 minHighest 27% above VT |
28 min 18% above VT |
25 min 7% above VT |
| Work from home | 17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
21.4%±4.2 VT: 16.9% |
14%±6.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
29.6%±12.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Andover and Cabot 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 | — | — | #49 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Green Mountain Union High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 8.7 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.