Compare towns
Ripton vs Dorset vs Windham vs Salisbury
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).
Dorset has the most expensive homes ($569k median).
Windham has the most renters (17.1% rent).
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 | Dorset | Windham | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 508Lowest |
2,092Highest |
594 |
1,200 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | +7.5% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
45.9±7.5 6% above VT |
44.2±7.4Lowest about the VT average |
50.6±6.5Highest 17% above VT |
| Salisbury 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% |
24%±5.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9 VT: 17.9% |
16.6%±3.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Dorset and Windham 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% |
21.9%±4.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1 VT: 21.4% |
30.4%±2.9 VT: 21.4% |
| 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% VT: 43.8% |
72.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48.1% VT: 43.8% |
34.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
2.8%±2.1 VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
1.6%±1.1 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$111,250±$40k 37% above VT |
$94,500±$12kLowest 16% above VT |
$99,688±$21k 23% above VT |
| Ripton and Dorset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $394,400±$61k 25% above VT |
$569,200±$57kHighest 80% above VT |
$353,900±$20k 12% above VT |
$306,900±$51kLowest 3% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,420±$296Lowest 15% above VT |
— | $1,443±$984Highest 17% above VT |
| Salisbury and Dorset 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 |
$7,489Highest 49% above VT |
$5,951 18% above VT |
$4,842Lowest 4% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
74.4%±22.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
31.9%±22.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Dorset 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% |
11.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
9.9% VT: 10.1% |
4.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
90.7% VT: 73.2% |
82.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1972 4 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the VT average |
22 min 8% below VT |
27 minHighest 14% above VT |
19 minLowest 20% below VT |
| Work from home | 17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
29.3%±7.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
6%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Dorset and Windham 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 | Taconic and Green Regional School District #63 | — | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| 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 | 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.