Compare towns
Westminster vs Townshend 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).
Townshend has the most people working from home (28%).
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 | Townshend | Ripton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 497Lowest |
1,538Highest |
508 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +4.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 43.3±11.5Lowest about the VT average |
55.6±9.6Highest 29% above VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
| Townshend and Ripton 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% |
12%±2.6 VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 19.7%±11.4 VT: 21.4% |
19.3%±6.6Lowest 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%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
52.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.2%±3.5 VT: 7% |
1.4%±0.8Lowest VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,000±$22k about the VT average |
$78,750±$29kLowest 3% 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 |
$287,200±$79kLowest 9% 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 |
$1,074±$80Highest 13% below VT |
— |
| Townshend and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,480Lowest 11% below VT |
$5,364Highest 6% above VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 6.1%±43.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
72.5%±23.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
| Townshend 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% |
8.1% VT: 10.1% |
8.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
82.6% VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 26% above VT |
25 min 6% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 23.1%±15.9 VT: 16.9% |
28%±18.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Townshend 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 | — | — |
| School district | — | West River Valley Union Education District #72B · West River Valley Union Education District #72A | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | — | Leland & Gray Union Middle & High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.