Compare towns
Westminster vs Ripton vs Dorset vs Walpole
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Westminster has the most kids (28.4% under 18).
Ripton has the oldest population (median age 47.7).
Dorset has the most expensive homes ($569k median).
Walpole has the most renters (30.1% rent).
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 | Westminster | Ripton | Dorset | Walpole |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 497Lowest |
508 |
2,092 |
3,690Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.3±11.5Lowest 11% above U.S. |
47.7±14.2Highest 23% above U.S. |
45.9±7.5 18% above U.S. |
46.5±10.4 20% above U.S. |
| Ripton and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 28.4%±7.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
24%±5.5 U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Westminster and Dorset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.7%±11.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±5.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ripton and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
48% U.S.: 35.7% |
72.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
32.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.2%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
20.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $81,000±$22kLowest about the U.S. average |
$112,917±$15kHighest 40% above U.S. |
$111,250±$40k 38% above U.S. |
$82,617±$16k about the U.S. average |
| Ripton and Dorset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $313,600±$39kLowest 6% below U.S. |
$394,400±$61k 19% above U.S. |
$569,200±$57kHighest 71% above U.S. |
$319,800±$48k 4% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $749±$315Lowest 47% below U.S. |
— | $1,420±$296Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,165±$150 18% below U.S. |
| Dorset and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,480Lowest 44% above U.S. |
$4,915 58% above U.S. |
$7,489Highest 140% above U.S. |
$6,078 95% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 6.1%±43.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
74.4%±22.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.6%±21.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dorset and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1973Highest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 13% above U.S. |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
22 minLowest 18% below U.S. |
23 min 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.1%±15.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±8.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
29.3%±7.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dorset and Westminster 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 | #53 of 70 in VT | — | — | #27 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Taconic and Green Regional School District #63 | Fall Mountain Regional School District |
| 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 |
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.