Compare towns
Ripton vs Chelsea 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).
Chelsea has the most kids (21.9% under 18).
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 | Chelsea | Andover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 508Lowest |
1,223Highest |
616 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 47.7±14.2Lowest 11% above VT |
54.1±12.1Highest 26% above VT |
49.2±5.1 14% above VT |
| Chelsea 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% |
21.9%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.5%±4.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Chelsea and Ripton 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% |
29.4%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
22.7%±4.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Chelsea 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% |
29.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
43.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
4.8%±2.4 VT: 7% |
2.8%±1.5Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$65,913±$13kLowest 19% 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 |
$260,900±$39kLowest 18% 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 | — | $1,524±$467Highest 24% above VT |
$1,389±$364Lowest 13% above VT |
| Chelsea and Andover 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 |
$3,762Lowest 25% below VT |
$5,190Highest about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.9%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
66.3%±33.2 VT: 48.4% |
69.4%±47.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Andover and Chelsea 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% |
14.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
4.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
81.2%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
82.8% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest about the VT average |
30 minHighest 28% above VT |
25 min 7% above VT |
| Work from home | 17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
12.6%±7.8Lowest VT: 16.9% |
29.6%±12.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Andover 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 | First Branch Unified School District #82 | — |
| High school 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.


