Compare towns
Ripton vs Windham vs Wells River
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 people working from home (20.5%).
Wells River has the most affordable homes ($171k 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 | Wells River |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 508 |
594Highest |
340Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +25.7% VT: +2.8% |
— | — |
| Median age | 47.7±14.2Highest 11% above VT |
44.2±7.4 about the VT average |
42.7±12.7Lowest about the VT average |
| Ripton and Windham 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% |
17.5%±7.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.1%±6.5 VT: 17.9% |
| Windham and Wells River 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% |
23.2%±8.1 VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Windham 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% |
16.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1 VT: 7% |
0.6%±3.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$94,500±$12k 16% above VT |
$38,688±$5kLowest 52% 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 |
$170,800±$103kLowest 46% 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 | — | — | $900±$336 27% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,915 about the VT average |
$5,951Highest 18% above VT |
$4,154Lowest 18% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.9%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94Lowest VT: 48.4% |
47.6%±14.8 VT: 48.4% |
| Ripton and Wells River 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% |
38.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
82.9% VT: 73.2% |
47.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest about the VT average |
27 min 14% above VT |
34 minHighest 43% above VT |
| Work from home | 17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
5.2%±9.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Windham 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 | — | — |
| 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.