Compare towns
Sheldon vs Ripton vs Sandgate vs Swanton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sheldon has the most kids (23.7% under 18).
Ripton has the highest household income ($113k).
Sandgate has the most people working from home (34.6%).
Swanton has the most renters (22.1% 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.
| Measure | Sheldon | Ripton | Sandgate | Swanton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,267 |
508 |
435Lowest |
6,820Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— | +4.3% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.5Lowest 5% below VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
55.7±5.4Highest 29% above VT |
43.7±5.5 about the VT average |
| Sandgate and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.7%±3.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
13.1%±7.5 VT: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Sheldon and Swanton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 12.6%±2.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
26%±11.3 VT: 21.4% |
19.5%±3.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Sandgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 14.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48%Highest VT: 43.8% |
37.8% VT: 43.8% |
23.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
2.3%±2.4 VT: 7% |
3%±1.6 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $78,533±$25k 3% below VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$69,167±$19kLowest 15% below VT |
$81,371±$14k about the VT average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $272,400±$61k 14% below VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
$193,800±$31kLowest 39% below VT |
$285,100±$35k 10% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,286±$379Highest 4% above VT |
— | — | $1,257±$133Lowest about the VT average |
| Sheldon and Swanton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,578 29% below VT |
$4,915Highest about the VT average |
$2,778Lowest 45% below VT |
$4,449 12% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±27Lowest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.2 VT: 48.4% |
| Ripton and Swanton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
9.7% VT: 10.1% |
13%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89% VT: 73.2% |
90.9% VT: 73.2% |
94.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
77.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1959Lowest 17 yrs older than VT |
1976 same as VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 7% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
27 minHighest 16% above VT |
23 minLowest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 13%±3.7 VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
34.6%±32.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
8.1%±3.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Sandgate and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | — | #27 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — | Missisquoi Valley School District #89 |
| 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.