What stands out worked out from the figures below

West Burke has the most renters (38.7% rent).

Ripton has the highest household income ($113k).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	West Burke	Ripton
People
Population	161Lowest	508Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+25.7% VT: +2.8%
Median age	59.2±16.3Highest 37% above VT	47.7±14.2Lowest 11% above VT
	West Burke and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	11.8%±10.4 VT: 17.9%	11.8%±6.3 VT: 17.9%
Age 65+	31.1%±13.2Highest VT: 21.4%	30.5%±7.1Lowest VT: 21.4%
	West Burke and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	28.7%Lowest VT: 43.8%	48%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5%±3.3Lowest VT: 7%	20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$27,321±$15kLowest 66% below VT	$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$275,000±$60kLowest 13% below VT	$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT
	Ripton and West Burke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$525±$373 57% below VT	—
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,194Lowest 37% below VT	$4,915Highest about the VT average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	77.8%±31.3Highest VT: 48.4%	52.9%±100Lowest VT: 48.4%
	West Burke and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	20.5%Highest VT: 10.1%	8.6%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	61.3%Lowest VT: 73.2%	90.9%Highest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT	1973Highest 3 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minHighest 7% above VT	24 minLowest about the VT average
Work from home	20%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9%	17.2%±8.7Lowest VT: 16.9%
	West Burke and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	—	Addison Central Unified Union School District #55
High school in town	—	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.