Compare towns
Wardsboro vs Ripton vs Reading vs Leicester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wardsboro has the most affordable homes ($299k median).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Reading has the most people working from home (22.9%).
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 | Wardsboro | Ripton | Reading | Leicester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 820 |
508Lowest |
699 |
1,026Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4% VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+3.2% VT: +2.8% |
-10%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 51.6±7.3Highest 20% above VT |
47.7±14.2Lowest 11% above VT |
51.1±7.6 19% above VT |
48.8±3.8 13% above VT |
| Wardsboro and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±6.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.5%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
14.9%±5.1 VT: 17.9% |
| Wardsboro and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 27.4%±3.1 VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
28.2%±3.3 VT: 21.4% |
24.5%±6.7Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38.9% VT: 43.8% |
48%Highest VT: 43.8% |
46% VT: 43.8% |
35.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±0.9Lowest VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.5 VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.6 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $62,000±$6kLowest 24% below VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$85,000±$19k 5% above VT |
$70,417±$30k 13% below VT |
| Ripton and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $299,300±$47kLowest 5% below VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
$377,200±$72k 19% above VT |
$309,700±$107k about the VT average |
| Ripton and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,479±$224Highest 20% above VT |
— | $1,100±$331 11% below VT |
$1,098±$300Lowest 11% below VT |
| Wardsboro and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,345 14% below VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
$5,754Highest 14% above VT |
$3,822Lowest 24% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.5%±58 VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±31.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
33.3%±40.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Reading and Wardsboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
8.4% VT: 10.1% |
11.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.4% VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
84.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
85.5% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 2 yrs newer than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1969Lowest 7 yrs older than VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 14% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
33 minHighest 41% above VT |
28 min 20% above VT |
| Work from home | 13.3%±5.1 VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
22.9%±10.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
12.7%±5.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Reading and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | — |
| 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.