Compare towns
Rochester vs Ripton vs Windham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Rochester has the most people working from home (40.8%).
Ripton has the highest household income ($113k).
Windham has the most kids (17.5% 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 | Rochester | Ripton | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,389Highest |
508Lowest |
594 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 53.3±7.6Highest 24% above VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
44.2±7.4Lowest about the VT average |
| Rochester and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 10.4%±3.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3 VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9Highest 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+ | 31.5%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1 VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Rochester and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.4%±0.6Lowest VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,676±$8kLowest 11% below VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$94,500±$12k 16% above 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 | $253,600±$81kLowest 20% below VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
$353,900±$20k 12% above VT |
| Ripton and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $929±$158 25% below VT |
— | — |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,977Lowest 21% below VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
$5,951Highest 18% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.4%±27.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Rochester and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 18.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.9% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.1% VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
82.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 17% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
27 min 14% above VT |
| Work from home | 40.8%±27.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Rochester and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — |
| 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.