Compare towns
Ripton vs Mendon vs Grafton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Mendon has the most people working from home (22.5%).
Grafton has the oldest population (median age 59.2).
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 | Grafton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 508Lowest |
1,113Highest |
666 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+8.5% VT: +2.8% |
-5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.7±14.2Lowest 11% above VT |
53.4±10.5 24% above VT |
59.2±4.4Highest 37% above VT |
| Grafton 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% |
5.9%±3.7Lowest 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%±7.1 VT: 21.4% |
29%±1.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
34.2%±2Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Grafton and Ripton 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% |
48.4% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
7.1%±5 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$100,524±$23k 24% above VT |
$76,111±$7kLowest 6% 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 |
$343,200±$85kLowest 8% 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±$651Lowest about the VT average |
$1,288±$174Highest 4% above VT |
| Grafton and Mendon 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 |
$4,843Lowest 4% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.9%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
88.6%±42.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
53.8%±69.4 VT: 48.4% |
| Mendon and Grafton 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% |
4.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.9% VT: 73.2% |
92.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
89.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1978Highest 2 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the VT average |
17 minLowest 28% below VT |
24 minHighest 4% above VT |
| Work from home | 17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
22.5%±8.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
15.8%±5.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Mendon 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 | — | Athens Grafton School District |
| 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.