Compare towns
Townshend vs Weston vs Ripton vs Wardsboro
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 renters (17.4% rent).
Weston has the most expensive homes ($538k median).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Wardsboro has the most kids (18.8% under 18).
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 | Weston | Ripton | Wardsboro |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,538Highest |
685 |
508Lowest |
820 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8% VT: +2.8% |
+10.1% VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 55.6±9.6 29% above VT |
60.5±7Highest 40% above VT |
47.7±14.2Lowest 11% above VT |
51.6±7.3 20% above VT |
| Weston and Townshend 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% |
15.2%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±6.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Wardsboro and Weston 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% |
44.2%±2.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1 VT: 21.4% |
27.4%±3.1 VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.1% VT: 43.8% |
66.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
38.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.8 VT: 7% |
1.2%±1.9 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
0.9%±0.9Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $78,750±$29k 3% below VT |
$115,000±$20kHighest 42% above VT |
$112,917±$15k 39% above VT |
$62,000±$6kLowest 24% below VT |
| Weston and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $287,200±$79kLowest 9% below VT |
$537,700±$77kHighest 70% above VT |
$394,400±$61k 25% above VT |
$299,300±$47k 5% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,074±$80Lowest 13% below VT |
$1,375±$729 11% above VT |
— | $1,479±$224Highest 20% above VT |
| Wardsboro and Weston 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 |
$7,076Highest 40% above VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
$4,345Lowest 14% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 72.5%±23.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
33.3%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
54.5%±58 VT: 48.4% |
| Townshend and Wardsboro 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% |
4.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7.7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
91.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
90.9% VT: 73.2% |
90.4% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1969Lowest 7 yrs older than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1978 2 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 6% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
27 minHighest 14% above VT |
| Work from home | 28%±18.7 VT: 16.9% |
31.2%±7.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
13.3%±5.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Weston and Townshend 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 | 12 photos → | 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.