Compare towns

Wallingford vs Windham vs Ripton vs Barnet

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 oldest housing (typical home built 1971).
Windham has the most people working from home (20.5%).
Ripton has the highest household income ($113k).
Barnet has the most kids (21.6% 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.

MeasureWallingfordWindhamRiptonBarnet
People
Population
2,286Highest
594
508Lowest
1,855
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+2.4%
VT: +2.8%
—
+25.7%Highest
VT: +2.8%
-2.6%Lowest
VT: +2.8%
Median age
45.9±10.8
6% above VT
44.2±7.4Lowest
about the VT average
47.7±14.2Highest
11% above VT
47.7±5.3Highest
11% above VT
Kids under 18
18.7%±5
VT: 17.9%
17.5%±7.9
VT: 17.9%
11.8%±6.3Lowest
VT: 17.9%
21.6%±4.9Highest
VT: 17.9%
Barnet 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%
23.2%±8.1Lowest
VT: 21.4%
30.5%±7.1Highest
VT: 21.4%
28.8%±3.8
VT: 21.4%
Ripton and Barnet 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%
48.1%Highest
VT: 43.8%
48%
VT: 43.8%
35.6%
VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
1.5%±1.1
VT: 7%
0.8%±1.1Lowest
VT: 7%
20.1%±6.3Highest
VT: 7%
1%±0.9
VT: 7%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$80,230±$15k
about the VT average
$94,500±$12k
16% above VT
$112,917±$15kHighest
39% above VT
$67,386±$15kLowest
17% below VT
Ripton and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$261,900±$44k
17% below VT
$353,900±$20k
12% above VT
$394,400±$61kHighest
25% above VT
$247,900±$24kLowest
22% below VT
Ripton and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$891±$95Lowest
28% below VT
— —
$974±$72Highest
21% below VT
Barnet and Wallingford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$4,355Lowest
14% below VT
$5,951Highest
18% above VT
$4,915
about the VT average
$4,489
11% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
14.3%±13.5Lowest
VT: 48.4%
41.2%±94
VT: 48.4%
52.9%±100
VT: 48.4%
59.3%±29.9Highest
VT: 48.4%
Barnet and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
7%Lowest
VT: 10.1%
9.9%Highest
VT: 10.1%
8.6%
VT: 10.1%
8.2%
VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
82.5%
VT: 73.2%
82.9%
VT: 73.2%
90.9%Highest
VT: 73.2%
79.9%Lowest
VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1971Lowest
5 yrs older than VT
1982Highest
6 yrs newer than VT
1973
3 yrs older than VT
1974
2 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
25 min
6% above VT
27 min
14% above VT
24 minLowest
about the VT average
28 minHighest
17% above VT
Work from home
7.1%±3.7Lowest
VT: 16.9%
20.5%±5.6Highest
VT: 16.9%
17.2%±8.7
VT: 16.9%
13.3%±4.5
VT: 16.9%
Windham 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 Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78
High school in town None in town — None in town None in town
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.