Compare towns
Whiting vs Ripton vs Orwell vs Cornwall
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Whiting has the most renters (34.6% rent).
Ripton has the oldest housing (typical home built 1973).
Cornwall has the most people working from home (24.4%).
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 | Whiting | Ripton | Orwell | Cornwall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 532 |
508Lowest |
1,294Highest |
1,208 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.9%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.9% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 39.6±2.7Lowest 8% below VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
47.5±7 10% above VT |
50.4±4.6Highest 17% above VT |
| Cornwall and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.5%±6.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21.8%±5.4 VT: 17.9% |
18.7%±3 VT: 17.9% |
| Whiting and Orwell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 13%±5.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
24%±3.1 VT: 21.4% |
25.7%±6.1 VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.9% VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
22.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
54.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±4 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
3.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
3.7%±3.1 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,250±$38k 12% above VT |
$112,917±$15k 39% above VT |
$70,417±$22kLowest 13% below VT |
$114,583±$32kHighest 41% above VT |
| Cornwall and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $280,400±$36kLowest 11% below VT |
$394,400±$61k 25% above VT |
$335,600±$25k 6% above VT |
$458,000±$49kHighest 45% above VT |
| Cornwall and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,204±$519Highest about the VT average |
— | $1,105±$51Lowest 10% below VT |
$1,125±$206 9% below VT |
| Whiting and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,227 16% below VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
$3,914Lowest 22% below VT |
$6,726Highest 33% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.3%±37.3 VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
62.1%±35.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
61.9%±65.5 VT: 48.4% |
| Orwell and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
10.8% VT: 10.1% |
0.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.9% VT: 73.2% |
87.3% VT: 73.2% |
94.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 1 yr older than VT |
1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 7% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
27 minHighest 15% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 10%±5.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
13.3%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
24.4%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Cornwall and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.