Compare towns

Wallingford vs Ripton vs Brookline

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Wallingford has the most affordable homes ($262k median).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Brookline has the most people working from home (20.6%).

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.

MeasureWallingfordRiptonBrookline
People
Population
2,286Highest
508Lowest
531
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+2.4%
VT: +2.8%
+25.7%Highest
VT: +2.8%
+1.9%Lowest
VT: +2.8%
Median age
45.9±10.8
6% above VT
47.7±14.2Highest
11% above VT
45.1±2.7Lowest
5% above VT
Ripton and Wallingford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
18.7%±5
VT: 17.9%
11.8%±6.3Lowest
VT: 17.9%
20%±6Highest
VT: 17.9%
Brookline and Wallingford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
23.9%±3.2
VT: 21.4%
30.5%±7.1Highest
VT: 21.4%
19.6%±4.2Lowest
VT: 21.4%
Ripton and Wallingford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
30.3%Lowest
VT: 43.8%
48%Highest
VT: 43.8%
41.1%
VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
1.5%±1.1Lowest
VT: 7%
20.1%±6.3Highest
VT: 7%
3.2%±1.6
VT: 7%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$80,230±$15kLowest
about the VT average
$112,917±$15kHighest
39% above VT
$80,833±$16k
about the VT average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$261,900±$44kLowest
17% below VT
$394,400±$61kHighest
25% above VT
$290,700±$37k
8% below VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$891±$95Lowest
28% below VT
—
$1,732±$232Highest
40% above VT
Property taxmedian, yearly
$4,355Lowest
14% below VT
$4,915
about the VT average
$5,000Highest
about the VT average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
14.3%±13.5Lowest
VT: 48.4%
52.9%±100Highest
VT: 48.4%
47.8%±94.7
VT: 48.4%
Ripton and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
7%
VT: 10.1%
8.6%Highest
VT: 10.1%
6.2%Lowest
VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
82.5%Lowest
VT: 73.2%
90.9%Highest
VT: 73.2%
84.9%
VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1971Lowest
5 yrs older than VT
1973
3 yrs older than VT
1975Highest
1 yr older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
25 min
6% above VT
24 minLowest
about the VT average
28 minHighest
21% above VT
Work from home
7.1%±3.7Lowest
VT: 16.9%
17.2%±8.7
VT: 16.9%
20.6%±5.2Highest
VT: 16.9%
Brookline and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district Mill River Unified Union School District #52 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.