Compare towns
Stannard vs Putney vs Walden vs Ripton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Stannard has the most affordable homes ($216k median).
Putney has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Walden has the most people working from home (21.4%).
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 | Stannard | Putney | Walden | Ripton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 228Lowest |
2,622Highest |
1,037 |
508 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+2.2% VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 48.3±14.6 12% above VT |
37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below VT |
48.8±3.2Highest 13% above VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
| Walden and Stannard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 13.2%±9.1 VT: 17.9% |
15.4%±4.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.3%±3.9 VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Putney and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.9%±8.5 VT: 21.4% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
20.4%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Stannard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8% VT: 43.8% |
48.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
26.4%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0%±6.2Lowest VT: 7% |
20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
4%±2.1 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3 VT: 7% |
| Putney and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $66,979±$30kLowest 18% below VT |
$79,706±$18k about the VT average |
$88,000±$15k 8% above VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
| Ripton and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $216,200±$44kLowest 32% below VT |
$300,000±$44k 5% below VT |
$238,900±$23k 25% below VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
| Ripton and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $508±$482Lowest 59% below VT |
$900±$136Highest 27% below VT |
— |
| Walden and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,183 17% below VT |
$5,313Highest 5% above VT |
$3,944Lowest 22% below VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
54.2%±19.4 VT: 48.4% |
56.3%±86.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
| Walden and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
16%Highest VT: 10.1% |
9.3% VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 98.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
72.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
93.8% VT: 73.2% |
90.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 16% above VT |
18 minLowest 24% below VT |
26 min 10% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 8.6%±5.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.9%±6.5 VT: 16.9% |
21.4%±6.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
| Walden 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 | — | #32 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | — | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.