Compare towns
Ripton vs Mendon vs Dover
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).
Mendon has the most kids (14.6% under 18).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+60%).
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 | Mendon | Dover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 508Lowest |
1,113 |
1,466Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +25.7% VT: +2.8% |
+8.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+60%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.7±14.2Lowest 11% above VT |
53.4±10.5 24% above VT |
53.5±8.3Highest 24% above VT |
| Dover and Mendon 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% |
14.6%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
10.2%±5.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Mendon 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%±1.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.5%±6.2 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%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
49.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.1 VT: 7% |
2.5%±2.9Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$100,524±$23k 24% above VT |
$52,313±$7kLowest 36% below VT |
| Ripton and Mendon 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 |
$357,000±$44k 13% above VT |
$332,900±$55kLowest 5% above VT |
| Ripton and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,230±$651Highest about the VT average |
$670±$49Lowest 46% below VT |
| Mendon 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 |
$5,342Highest 6% above VT |
$4,510Lowest 10% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
88.6%±42.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
38.1%±17.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Mendon 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% |
8.2% VT: 10.1% |
7.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.9% VT: 73.2% |
92.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
81.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest about the VT average |
17 minLowest 28% below VT |
22 min 6% below VT |
| Work from home | 17.2%±8.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
22.5%±8.9 VT: 16.9% |
23.2%±11.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Dover and Mendon 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.