Compare towns
Ripton vs Dover vs Athens
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).
Dover has the most people working from home (23.2%).
Athens has the most affordable homes ($240k 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 | Dover | Athens |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 508 |
1,466Highest |
431Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +25.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+60%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
53.5±8.3Highest 24% above VT |
47.3±6.5Lowest 10% above VT |
| Dover and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 11.8%±6.3 VT: 17.9% |
10.2%±5.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
13.9%±6.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Athens 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% |
29.5%±6.2 VT: 21.4% |
21.6%±4.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Dover 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% |
48.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
30.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
2.5%±2.9Lowest VT: 7% |
4.9%±3 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$52,313±$7kLowest 36% below VT |
$68,438±$30k 16% below VT |
| Ripton and Athens 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 |
$332,900±$55k 5% above VT |
$240,400±$32kLowest 24% below VT |
| Ripton and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $670±$49Lowest 46% below VT |
$1,125±$537Highest 9% below VT |
| Athens and Dover 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 |
$4,510Lowest 10% below VT |
$5,438Highest 8% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.9%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
38.1%±17.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
43.5%±39 VT: 48.4% |
| Ripton and Athens 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% |
7.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
12.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
81.1% VT: 73.2% |
73.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the VT average |
22 minLowest 6% below VT |
36 minHighest 53% above VT |
| Work from home | 17.2%±8.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
23.2%±11.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
19.3%±7.5 VT: 16.9% |
| Dover and Athens 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 | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | — |
| 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.