Compare towns
Ryegate vs Dover vs Wolcott
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ryegate has the most homeowners (84.7%).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+60%).
Wolcott has the highest household income ($70k).
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 | Ryegate | Dover | Wolcott |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,059Lowest |
1,466 |
1,507Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+60%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.4% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 41.2±2.6Lowest 4% below VT |
53.5±8.3Highest 24% above VT |
42.4±5.9 about the VT average |
| Dover and Wolcott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.2%±4.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
10.2%±5.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
22.8%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Ryegate and Wolcott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.1%±1.5 VT: 21.4% |
29.5%±6.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
11.1%±2.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Dover and Ryegate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
31.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.4Lowest VT: 7% |
2.5%±2.9 VT: 7% |
3.4%±2.1Highest VT: 7% |
| Wolcott and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $66,484±$15k 18% below VT |
$52,313±$7kLowest 36% below VT |
$70,259±$10kHighest 13% below VT |
| Wolcott and Ryegate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $219,300±$32kLowest 31% below VT |
$332,900±$55kHighest 5% above VT |
$221,300±$23k 30% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $908±$236 26% below VT |
$670±$49Lowest 46% below VT |
$1,059±$118Highest 14% below VT |
| Wolcott and Ryegate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,472Lowest 31% below VT |
$4,510Highest 10% below VT |
$3,930 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.9%±29.7 VT: 48.4% |
38.1%±17.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
75.7%±21.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Wolcott and Ryegate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
81.1% VT: 73.2% |
79.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1949Lowest 27 yrs older than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1983 7 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 18% above VT |
22 minLowest 6% below VT |
27 min 13% above VT |
| Work from home | 8.2%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
23.2%±11.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
13.9%±4.2 VT: 16.9% |
| Dover and Wolcott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | Wolcott 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.