Compare towns
Warner vs Reading vs Ripton vs Webster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Warner has the most renters (25.4% rent).
Reading has the most people working from home (22.9%).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Webster has the most kids (22.6% 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.
| Measure | Warner | Reading | Ripton | Webster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,959Highest |
699 |
508Lowest |
2,227 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±4Lowest 12% above U.S. |
51.1±7.6Highest 31% above U.S. |
47.7±14.2 23% above U.S. |
44.7±7.6 15% above U.S. |
| Reading and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.3%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
18.5%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.6%±8Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Webster and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
28.2%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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+ | 42.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
46% U.S.: 35.7% |
48%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
20.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $94,022±$18k 16% above U.S. |
$85,000±$19kLowest 5% above U.S. |
$112,917±$15kHighest 40% above U.S. |
$107,171±$14k 33% above U.S. |
| Ripton and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $353,100±$22k 6% above U.S. |
$377,200±$72k 13% above U.S. |
$394,400±$61kHighest 19% above U.S. |
$338,500±$30kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Ripton and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,219±$123 14% below U.S. |
$1,100±$331Lowest 22% below U.S. |
— | $1,396±$622Highest about the U.S. average |
| Webster and Warner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,650Highest 145% above U.S. |
$5,754 84% above U.S. |
$4,915Lowest 58% above U.S. |
$6,021 93% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.7%±21.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
63.3%±31.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
53.6%±71 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Reading and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
96%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 20% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.6%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±8.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.1%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Reading and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Kearsarge Regional School District | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Merrimack Valley School District |
| High school in town | None 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 |
U.S. 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.