Compare towns
Waltham vs Bristol vs Rupert
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Waltham has the most people working from home (20.6%).
Bristol has the most renters (28.7% rent).
Rupert has the most kids (13.9% 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 | Waltham | Bristol | Rupert |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 452Lowest |
3,778Highest |
676 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -2.9%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-2.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 60.8±7.3Highest 41% above VT |
47.9±4.8Lowest 11% above VT |
57.8±9.7 34% above VT |
| Waltham and Rupert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.8%±7.4Lowest VT: 17.9% |
12.8%±3.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
13.9%±3.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Rupert and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 45.4%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.9%±4.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
42.3%±8.1 VT: 21.4% |
| Waltham and Rupert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39% VT: 43.8% |
41.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
30.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.1 VT: 7% |
5.2%±3.2Highest VT: 7% |
2.1%±2.5Lowest VT: 7% |
| Bristol and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $97,500±$14kHighest 20% above VT |
$74,620±$8kLowest 8% below VT |
$88,229±$36k 9% above VT |
| Waltham and Rupert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $329,700±$51kLowest 4% above VT |
$337,300±$46k 7% above VT |
$362,500±$63kHighest 14% above VT |
| Rupert and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,096±$113Lowest 11% below VT |
$1,275±$181Highest 3% above VT |
— |
| Bristol and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,714 13% above VT |
$5,978Highest 19% above VT |
$4,594Lowest 9% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.2%±58.6 VT: 48.4% |
47.9%±14.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
20%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Bristol and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
10.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.3% VT: 73.2% |
71.3%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
93.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 18% above VT |
25 minLowest 5% above VT |
27 min 14% above VT |
| Work from home | 20.6%±5.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.9%±6.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
18.6%±9.2 VT: 16.9% |
| Waltham and Rupert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #31 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Mt. Abraham Unified School District #61 | — |
| High school in town | — | Mt. Abraham Union High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.9 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.