Compare towns
Whiting vs Ripton vs Panton vs Athens
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 highest household income ($113k).
Panton has the most people working from home (26.7%).
Athens has the most affordable homes ($240k median).
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 | Panton | Athens |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 532 |
508 |
690Highest |
431Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-4.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 39.6±2.7Lowest 8% below VT |
47.7±14.2Highest 11% above VT |
42.7±3.8 about the VT average |
47.3±6.5 10% above VT |
| Ripton and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.5%±6.9 VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
24.9%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.9%±6.5 VT: 17.9% |
| Panton and Whiting 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% |
16.7%±2.9 VT: 21.4% |
21.6%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48%Highest VT: 43.8% |
35.1% VT: 43.8% |
30.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±4 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
2.3%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
4.9%±3 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,250±$38k 12% above VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$86,667±$10k 7% above VT |
$68,438±$30kLowest 16% below VT |
| Ripton and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $280,400±$36k 11% below VT |
$394,400±$61k 25% above VT |
$438,000±$40kHighest 38% above VT |
$240,400±$32kLowest 24% below VT |
| Panton and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,204±$519 about the VT average |
— | $1,410±$130Highest 14% above VT |
$1,125±$537Lowest 9% below VT |
| Panton and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,227Lowest 16% below VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
$6,695Highest 33% above VT |
$5,438 8% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.3%±37.3 VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
61%±39Highest VT: 48.4% |
43.5%±39Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Panton and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.5% VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
3.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
12.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
83.7% VT: 73.2% |
73.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 1 yr older than VT |
1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 7% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
26 min 11% above VT |
36 minHighest 53% above VT |
| Work from home | 10%±5.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
26.7%±8.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
19.3%±7.5 VT: 16.9% |
| Panton and Athens 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 | — | — |
| High school 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.