Compare towns
Westminster vs Sheffield vs Ripton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Westminster has the most kids (28.4% under 18).
Sheffield has the most affordable homes ($172k median).
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.
| Measure | Westminster | Sheffield | Ripton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 497Lowest |
573Highest |
508 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 43.3±11.5 about the VT average |
42±8Lowest about the VT average |
47.7±14.2Highest 11% above VT |
| Ripton and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 28.4%±7.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.1%±6.6 VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Westminster and Sheffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.7%±11.4 VT: 21.4% |
19.2%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.4% VT: 43.8% |
27.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.2%±3.5Lowest VT: 7% |
5.9%±4.7 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,000±$22k about the VT average |
$58,333±$26kLowest 28% below VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
| Ripton and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $313,600±$39k about the VT average |
$171,900±$50kLowest 46% below VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
| Ripton and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $749±$315Lowest 39% below VT |
$967±$79Highest 22% below VT |
— |
| Sheffield and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,480 11% below VT |
$2,123Lowest 58% below VT |
$4,915Highest about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 6.1%±43.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
61.5%±41.2Highest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
| Sheffield 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 VT: 10.1% |
6.6% VT: 10.1% |
8.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
83.7% VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1987Highest 11 yrs newer than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 26% above VT |
30 minHighest 28% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 23.1%±15.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
6.1%±2.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
| 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 | — | — |
| School district | — | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.