Compare towns
Ripton vs Old Bennington vs Mendon
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 most renters (9.1% rent).
Old Bennington has the most people working from home (46.7%).
Mendon has the shortest commute (17 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 | Old Bennington | Mendon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 508 |
182Lowest |
1,113Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— | +8.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
45±21.3Lowest 4% above VT |
53.4±10.5Highest 24% above VT |
| Mendon 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% |
22.5%±12Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.6%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Old Bennington and Mendon 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% |
30.8%±8Highest VT: 21.4% |
29%±1.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Old Bennington 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% |
84.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
49.4% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
0%±7.8Lowest VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.1 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $112,917±$15k 39% above VT |
$168,750±$53kHighest 108% above VT |
$100,524±$23kLowest 24% above VT |
| Old Bennington and Ripton 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 |
$445,500±$105kHighest 41% above VT |
$357,000±$44kLowest 13% above VT |
| Old Bennington and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,063±$1kLowest 14% below VT |
$1,230±$651Highest about the VT average |
| Mendon and Old Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,915Lowest about the VT average |
$8,690Highest 72% above VT |
$5,342 6% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
40%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
88.6%±42.7Highest 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% |
0%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
93.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
92.2% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the VT average |
28 minHighest 20% above VT |
17 minLowest 28% below VT |
| Work from home | 17.2%±8.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
46.7%±3.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
22.5%±8.9 VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | |||
| School district | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — | — |
| High school 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.