Compare towns
Walden vs Ripton vs Andover
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Walden has the most affordable homes ($239k median).
Ripton has the highest household income ($113k).
Andover has the most people working from home (29.6%).
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 | Walden | Ripton | Andover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,037Highest |
508Lowest |
616 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 48.8±3.2 13% above VT |
47.7±14.2Lowest 11% above VT |
49.2±5.1Highest 14% above VT |
| Andover and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.3%±3.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3 VT: 17.9% |
11.5%±4.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Walden and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
22.7%±4.3 VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.4%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48%Highest VT: 43.8% |
43.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±2.1 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
2.8%±1.5Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $88,000±$15kLowest 8% above VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$102,500±$38k 26% above VT |
| Ripton and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $238,900±$23kLowest 25% below VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
$382,900±$68k 21% above VT |
| Ripton and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $900±$136Lowest 27% below VT |
— | $1,389±$364Highest 13% above VT |
| Andover and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,944Lowest 22% below VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
$5,190Highest about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.3%±86.8 VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
69.4%±47.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Andover and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
4.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
90.9% VT: 73.2% |
82.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest 10% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
25 min 7% above VT |
| Work from home | 21.4%±6.7 VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
29.6%±12.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Andover and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.