What stands out worked out from the figures below

Ryegate has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.8%).

Swanton has the most renters (35.2% rent).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Ryegate	Swanton
People
Population	1,059Lowest	2,670Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-0.8%Highest VT: +2.8%	-2.4%Lowest VT: +2.8%
Median age	41.2±2.6Highest 4% below VT	37.8±4.7Lowest 12% below VT
	Ryegate and Swanton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	23.2%±4.6Lowest VT: 17.9%	24.3%±8.1Highest VT: 17.9%
	Swanton and Ryegate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	22.1%±1.5Highest VT: 21.4%	19.3%±2.7Lowest VT: 21.4%
	Ryegate and Swanton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	29.1%Highest VT: 43.8%	20.2%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.4%±1.4Highest VT: 7%	2.2%±1.7Lowest VT: 7%
	Ryegate and Swanton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$66,484±$15kLowest 18% below VT	$66,607±$27kHighest 18% below VT
	Swanton 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	$229,000±$15kHighest 28% below VT
	Swanton and Ryegate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$908±$236Lowest 26% below VT	$1,238±$103Highest about the VT average
	Swanton 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	$4,370Highest 13% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	55.9%±29.7Highest VT: 48.4%	36.1%±21.6Lowest VT: 48.4%
	Ryegate and Swanton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	14.5%Lowest VT: 10.1%	20.1%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	84.7%Highest VT: 73.2%	64.8%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1949Lowest 27 yrs older than VT	1952Highest 24 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minHighest 18% above VT	21 minLowest 9% below VT
Work from home	8.2%±3.7Highest VT: 16.9%	7.4%±4.8Lowest VT: 16.9%
	Ryegate and Swanton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.