What stands out worked out from the figures below

Stratton has the most expensive homes ($400k median).

West Pawlet has the most affordable homes ($156k 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.

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

Measure	Stratton	West Pawlet
People
Population	532Highest	368Lowest
Median age	31.5±4.1Highest 27% below VT	26.4±30.1Lowest 39% below VT
	Stratton and West Pawlet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	28%±7.4Highest VT: 17.9%	23.9%±7.7Lowest VT: 17.9%
	Stratton and West Pawlet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	11.7%±4Lowest VT: 21.4%	15.5%±9.7Highest VT: 21.4%
	West Pawlet and Stratton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	33.2% VT: 43.8%	33.2% VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	1.3%±2.8Lowest VT: 7%	7.3%±3.9Highest VT: 7%
	West Pawlet and Stratton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$122,708±$33k 51% above VT	—
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$400,000±$50kHighest 26% above VT	$156,000±$74kLowest 51% below VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,208±$979Highest about the VT average	$950±$75Lowest 23% below VT
	Stratton and West Pawlet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,750Highest 6% below VT	$1,974Lowest 61% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	12%±69.8Lowest VT: 48.4%	50%±100Highest VT: 48.4%
	West Pawlet and Stratton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	0%Lowest VT: 10.1%	18.2%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	73.3%Lowest VT: 73.2%	84.9%Highest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1988Highest 12 yrs newer than VT	1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minLowest 39% above VT	33 minHighest 42% above VT
Work from home	3.3%±3.5Lowest VT: 16.9%	4%±3.6Highest VT: 16.9%
	West Pawlet and Stratton 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.