What stands out worked out from the figures below

Swanton has the most renters (35.2% rent).

Ryegate has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.8%).

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	Swanton	Ryegate
People
Population	2,670Highest	1,059Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-2.4%Lowest VT: +2.8%	-0.8%Highest VT: +2.8%
Median age	37.8±4.7Lowest 12% below VT	41.2±2.6Highest 4% below VT
	Ryegate and Swanton 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%	23.2%±4.6Lowest VT: 17.9%
	Swanton and Ryegate 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%	22.1%±1.5Highest VT: 21.4%
	Ryegate and Swanton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	20.2%Lowest VT: 43.8%	29.1%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.2%±1.7Lowest VT: 7%	2.4%±1.4Highest VT: 7%
	Ryegate and Swanton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$66,607±$27kHighest 18% below VT	$66,484±$15kLowest 18% below VT
	Swanton and Ryegate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$229,000±$15kHighest 28% below VT	$219,300±$32kLowest 31% below VT
	Swanton and Ryegate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,238±$103Highest about the VT average	$908±$236Lowest 26% below VT
	Swanton and Ryegate 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	$3,472Lowest 31% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	36.1%±21.6Lowest VT: 48.4%	55.9%±29.7Highest VT: 48.4%
	Ryegate 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%	14.5%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	64.8%Lowest VT: 73.2%	84.7%Highest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1952Highest 24 yrs older than VT	1949Lowest 27 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	21 minLowest 9% below VT	28 minHighest 18% above VT
Work from home	7.4%±4.8Lowest VT: 16.9%	8.2%±3.7Highest VT: 16.9%
	Ryegate and Swanton 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.