Compare towns
Swanton vs Richford vs Highgate
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Swanton has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Richford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.6%).
Highgate has the most people working from home (14.9%).
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 | Swanton | Richford | Highgate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,670 |
2,467Lowest |
3,528Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-1.8% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 37.8±4.7Lowest 12% below VT |
39±3.6 10% below VT |
44±7.4Highest about the VT average |
| Highgate and Richford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24.3%±8.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
21.8%±4 VT: 17.9% |
15.8%±5.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Swanton and Richford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±2.7Lowest VT: 21.4% |
23.4%±4.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
22.2%±5.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Richford and Highgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.2% VT: 43.8% |
20.8%Highest VT: 43.8% |
19.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.2%±1.7Lowest VT: 7% |
6.4%±3.6Highest VT: 7% |
2.6%±2.1 VT: 7% |
| Richford and Highgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $66,607±$27k 18% below VT |
$56,853±$13kLowest 30% below VT |
$81,017±$14kHighest about the VT average |
| Highgate and Swanton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $229,000±$15k 28% below VT |
$176,600±$16kLowest 44% below VT |
$280,500±$21kHighest 11% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,238±$103Highest about the VT average |
$1,160±$66 6% below VT |
$895±$691Lowest 27% below VT |
| Swanton and Richford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,370Highest 13% below VT |
$3,300Lowest 35% below VT |
$3,558 29% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.1%±21.6 VT: 48.4% |
55.1%±15.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
30.5%±11.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Richford and Swanton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 20.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
19.5% VT: 10.1% |
8.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
70.4% VT: 73.2% |
80.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952 24 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 9% below VT |
28 min 18% above VT |
31 minHighest 32% above VT |
| Work from home | 7.4%±4.8Lowest VT: 16.9% |
9.8%±3.9 VT: 16.9% |
14.9%±7.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Highgate and Richford 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 | — | — | #43 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Enosburgh-Richford Unified Union School District #88 | Missisquoi Valley School District #89 |
| High school in town | — | Richford Junior/Senior High School | Missisquoi Valley Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.1Lowest |
9.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.