Compare towns
Townshend vs Brookline vs Ripton vs Dover
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Townshend has the most people working from home (28%).
Brookline has the most kids (20% under 18).
Ripton has the highest household income ($113k).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+60%).
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 | Townshend | Brookline | Ripton | Dover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,538Highest |
531 |
508Lowest |
1,466 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8% VT: +2.8% |
+1.9%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+25.7% VT: +2.8% |
+60%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 55.6±9.6Highest 29% above VT |
45.1±2.7Lowest 5% above VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
53.5±8.3 24% above VT |
| Townshend and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 12%±2.6 VT: 17.9% |
20%±6Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3 VT: 17.9% |
10.2%±5.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Brookline and Townshend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±6.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
19.6%±4.2 VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
29.5%±6.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
41.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
48.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.8Lowest VT: 7% |
3.2%±1.6 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
2.5%±2.9 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $78,750±$29k 3% below VT |
$80,833±$16k about the VT average |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$52,313±$7kLowest 36% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $287,200±$79kLowest 9% below VT |
$290,700±$37k 8% below VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
$332,900±$55k 5% above VT |
| Ripton and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,074±$80 13% below VT |
$1,732±$232Highest 40% above VT |
— | $670±$49Lowest 46% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,364Highest 6% above VT |
$5,000 about the VT average |
$4,915 about the VT average |
$4,510Lowest 10% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 72.5%±23.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
47.8%±94.7 VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
38.1%±17.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Townshend and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.1% VT: 10.1% |
6.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% VT: 73.2% |
84.9% VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
81.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 6 yrs newer than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 6% above VT |
28 minHighest 21% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
22 minLowest 6% below VT |
| Work from home | 28%±18.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
20.6%±5.2 VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
23.2%±11.1 VT: 16.9% |
| Townshend and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | West River Valley Union Education District #72B · West River Valley Union Education District #72A | — | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | River Valleys Unified School District #73 |
| High school in town | Leland & Gray Union Middle & High School | — | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.1 |
— | — | — |
| 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.