Compare towns
Westminster vs Ripton vs Stratton 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 people working from home (23.1%).
Ripton has the most homeowners (90.9%).
Stratton has the youngest population (median age 31.5).
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 | Stratton | Walpole |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 497Lowest |
508 |
532 |
3,690Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -2.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.3±11.5 11% above U.S. |
47.7±14.2Highest 23% above U.S. |
31.5±4.1Lowest 19% below 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% |
28%±7.4 U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Westminster and Stratton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.7%±11.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
11.7%±4Lowest 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
32.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.2%±3.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
20.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±2.8Lowest 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±$15k 40% above U.S. |
$122,708±$33kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$82,617±$16k about the U.S. average |
| Stratton and Ripton 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. |
$400,000±$50kHighest 20% above U.S. |
$319,800±$48k 4% below U.S. |
| Stratton and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $749±$315Lowest 47% below U.S. |
— | $1,208±$979Highest 15% below U.S. |
$1,165±$150 18% below U.S. |
| Stratton 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. |
$4,750 52% above U.S. |
$6,078Highest 95% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 6.1%±43.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
12%±69.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.6%±21.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ripton and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
0%Lowest 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% |
73.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 13% above U.S. |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.1%±15.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±8.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
3.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Westminster and Ripton 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 | — | Fall Mountain Regional School District |
| High school 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.