Compare towns
Ripton vs Walden vs Proctor
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%).
Walden has the most people working from home (21.4%).
Proctor has the most kids (21.8% under 18).
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 | Walden | Proctor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 508Lowest |
1,037 |
1,794Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+2.2% VT: +2.8% |
+1.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
48.8±3.2Highest 13% above VT |
42.4±6.4Lowest about the VT average |
| Walden 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% |
14.3%±3.9 VT: 17.9% |
21.8%±4.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Proctor and Walden 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% |
20.4%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
22.4%±2.5 VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Proctor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48%Highest VT: 43.8% |
26.4%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
28.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
4%±2.1 VT: 7% |
3.6%±1.7Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$88,000±$15k 8% above VT |
$74,167±$12kLowest 9% below VT |
| Ripton and Walden 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 |
$238,900±$23k 25% below VT |
$209,900±$17kLowest 34% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $900±$136Lowest 27% below VT |
$1,029±$202Highest 17% below VT |
| Proctor and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,915Highest about the VT average |
$3,944Lowest 22% below VT |
$4,032 20% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
56.3%±86.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
37.3%±16.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Walden and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.3% VT: 10.1% |
16.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.9% VT: 73.2% |
93.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
86.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the VT average |
26 minHighest 10% above VT |
22 minLowest 6% below VT |
| Work from home | 17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
21.4%±6.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
9.4%±4.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Walden 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 | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 | Quarry Valley Unified Union School District #70 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Proctor Junior/Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 8.7 |
| 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.