Compare towns
Wheelock vs Reading vs Ripton vs Sheffield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wheelock has the most homeowners (97.9%).
Reading has the most people working from home (22.9%).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Sheffield has the youngest population (median age 42).
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 | Wheelock | Reading | Ripton | Sheffield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 717Highest |
699 |
508Lowest |
573 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+3.2% VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 51±5.6 18% above VT |
51.1±7.6Highest 19% above VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
42±8Lowest about the VT average |
| Reading and Wheelock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±3.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.5%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.1%±6.6 VT: 17.9% |
| Wheelock and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29.4%±4.7 VT: 21.4% |
28.2%±3.3 VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.2%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Wheelock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.9% VT: 43.8% |
46% VT: 43.8% |
48%Highest VT: 43.8% |
27.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±2.3Lowest VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.5 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
5.9%±4.7 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $64,792±$20k 20% below VT |
$85,000±$19k 5% above VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$58,333±$26kLowest 28% below VT |
| Ripton and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $189,600±$37k 40% below VT |
$377,200±$72k 19% above VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
$171,900±$50kLowest 46% below VT |
| Ripton and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,100±$331Highest 11% below VT |
— | $967±$79Lowest 22% below VT |
| Reading and Sheffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,937 42% below VT |
$5,754Highest 14% above VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
$2,123Lowest 58% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±31.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
61.5%±41.2 VT: 48.4% |
| Reading and Sheffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.4% VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
6.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
84.9% VT: 73.2% |
90.9% VT: 73.2% |
83.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 13 yrs newer than VT |
1969Lowest 7 yrs older than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1987 11 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 17% above VT |
33 minHighest 41% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
30 min 28% above VT |
| Work from home | 21.1%±16 VT: 16.9% |
22.9%±10.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
6.1%±2.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Reading and Wheelock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 |
| 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 |
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.