Compare towns
Sharon vs Windham vs Ripton vs Barnet
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sharon has the most renters (20.3% rent).
Windham has the most people working from home (20.5%).
Ripton has the highest household income ($113k).
Barnet has the most affordable homes ($248k 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 | Sharon | Windham | Ripton | Barnet |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,577 |
594 |
508Lowest |
1,855Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9% VT: +2.8% |
— | +25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-2.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.6±7.7 6% above VT |
44.2±7.4Lowest about the VT average |
47.7±14.2Highest 11% above VT |
47.7±5.3Highest 11% above VT |
| Kids under 18 | 21%±5 VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9 VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21.6%±4.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Barnet and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.1%±3.6 VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
28.8%±3.8 VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Barnet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.9% VT: 43.8% |
48.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
35.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.5%±0.9 VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
1%±0.9 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $84,375±$17k 4% above VT |
$94,500±$12k 16% above VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$67,386±$15kLowest 17% 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 | $346,700±$37k 10% above VT |
$353,900±$20k 12% above VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
$247,900±$24kLowest 22% 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 | $1,386±$155Highest 12% above VT |
— | — | $974±$72Lowest 21% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,903 17% above VT |
$5,951Highest 18% above VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
$4,489Lowest 11% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 19.8%±17.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
59.3%±29.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Barnet and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.9%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
8.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
82.9% VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 5 yrs newer than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
1974 2 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 12% above VT |
27 min 14% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
28 minHighest 17% above VT |
| Work from home | 12.7%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
13.3%±4.5 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 | Sharon School District | — | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.