Compare towns
Salisbury vs Athens vs Orleans vs Ripton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Salisbury has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Athens has the most people working from home (19.3%).
Orleans has the most affordable homes ($156k median).
Ripton has the most expensive homes ($394k 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 | Salisbury | Athens | Orleans | Ripton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,200Highest |
431Lowest |
809 |
508 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.5% VT: +2.8% |
— | -3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 50.6±6.5Highest 17% above VT |
47.3±6.5 10% above VT |
41.7±5.8Lowest 3% below VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
| Salisbury and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.6%±3.2 VT: 17.9% |
13.9%±6.5 VT: 17.9% |
17.9%±4.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Orleans and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 30.4%±2.9 VT: 21.4% |
21.6%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
19.7%±3.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.6% VT: 43.8% |
30.3% VT: 43.8% |
24.8%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.6%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
4.9%±3 VT: 7% |
3.7%±2.1 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $99,688±$21k 23% above VT |
$68,438±$30k 16% below VT |
$57,159±$10kLowest 30% below VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
| Ripton and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $306,900±$51k 3% below VT |
$240,400±$32k 24% below VT |
$156,300±$18kLowest 51% below VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
| Ripton and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,443±$984Highest 17% above VT |
$1,125±$537 9% below VT |
$810±$94Lowest 34% below VT |
— |
| Salisbury and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,842 4% below VT |
$5,438Highest 8% above VT |
$3,019Lowest 40% below VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.9%±22.6 VT: 48.4% |
43.5%±39 VT: 48.4% |
27.3%±17.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Ripton and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
12.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.2% VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.7% VT: 73.2% |
73.7% VT: 73.2% |
64.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967 9 yrs older than VT |
1973Highest 3 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1973Highest 3 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 20% below VT |
36 minHighest 53% above VT |
31 min 33% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 6%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
19.3%±7.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
8.3%±3.7 VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
| Athens 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 | — | — | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.