Compare towns
Ripton vs Windham vs Charleston
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).
Windham has the most kids (17.5% under 18).
Charleston has the most affordable homes ($238k 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 | Windham | Charleston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 508Lowest |
594 |
936Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— | -0.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
44.2±7.4Lowest about the VT average |
58.4±9.3Highest 35% above VT |
| Charleston 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% |
17.5%±7.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.2%±4.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Windham 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% |
23.2%±8.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
37.7%±8.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Charleston 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% VT: 43.8% |
48.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
13.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
3.7%±2.3 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$94,500±$12k 16% above VT |
$49,286±$17kLowest 39% below VT |
| Ripton and Windham 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 |
$353,900±$20k 12% above VT |
$238,000±$53kLowest 25% below VT |
| Ripton and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | — | $979±$444 21% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,915 about the VT average |
$5,951Highest 18% above VT |
$3,750Lowest 26% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.9%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
32.7%±26.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Ripton and Windham 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% |
9.9% VT: 10.1% |
12.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
82.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
87.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest about the VT average |
27 minHighest 14% above VT |
26 min 12% above VT |
| Work from home | 17.2%±8.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
18.7%±7.1 VT: 16.9% |
| Windham and Charleston 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 | — | Charleston 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.