Compare towns
Townshend vs Ripton vs Plainfield vs Athens
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%).
Ripton has the highest household income ($113k).
Plainfield has the most kids (16.3% under 18).
Athens has the most affordable homes ($240k 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 | Townshend | Ripton | Plainfield | Athens |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,538Highest |
508 |
1,314 |
431Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8% VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 55.6±9.6Highest 29% above VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
48.1±5.5 12% above VT |
47.3±6.5Lowest 10% above VT |
| Townshend and Plainfield 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% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.9%±6.5 VT: 17.9% |
| Plainfield and Athens 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% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
21.6%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Athens 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% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
48.2% VT: 43.8% |
30.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.8Lowest VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3 VT: 7% |
4.9%±3 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $78,750±$29k 3% below VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$69,250±$31k 15% below VT |
$68,438±$30kLowest 16% below VT |
| Ripton and Townshend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $287,200±$79k 9% below VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
$318,400±$34k about the VT average |
$240,400±$32kLowest 24% below VT |
| Ripton and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,074±$80Lowest 13% below VT |
— | $1,153±$103Highest 7% below VT |
$1,125±$537 9% below VT |
| Plainfield and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,364 6% above VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
$4,806Lowest 5% below VT |
$5,438Highest 8% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 72.5%±23.1 VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
43.5%±39Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Townshend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
11.6% VT: 10.1% |
12.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.9% VT: 73.2% |
73.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 6% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
36 minHighest 53% above VT |
| Work from home | 28%±18.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
19.3%±7.5 VT: 16.9% |
| Townshend and Athens 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 | — | — |
| High school in town | Leland & Gray Union Middle & High School | 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.