Compare towns
Williston vs Ripton vs Ira vs Hartford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Williston has the most people working from home (22.3%).
Ripton has the highest household income ($113k).
Ira has the oldest population (median age 54.1).
Hartford has the most renters (32.2% rent).
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 | Williston | Ripton | Ira | Hartford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,144 |
508 |
381Lowest |
10,736Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +16.2% VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— | +7.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.4±4.5 5% above VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
54.1±5.5Highest 26% above VT |
43.2±3.9Lowest about the VT average |
| Ira and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.5%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3 VT: 17.9% |
10.5%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18%±3 VT: 17.9% |
| Williston and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
28.9%±3.3 VT: 21.4% |
22.5%±3.3 VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
37.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
47.6% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.7%±2.7 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
3.4%±3.5Lowest VT: 7% |
4.9%±1.7 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $106,967±$12k 32% above VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$71,827±$5kLowest 12% below VT |
$78,125±$7k 4% below VT |
| Ripton and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $475,800±$40kHighest 50% above VT |
$394,400±$61k 25% above VT |
$272,900±$18kLowest 14% below VT |
$304,500±$26k 4% below VT |
| Williston and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
— | $942±$52Lowest 24% below VT |
$1,218±$118 about the VT average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,592 11% above VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
$4,146Lowest 18% below VT |
$5,773Highest 15% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±17.4 VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
36.4%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±12.7 VT: 48.4% |
| Ripton and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
14.4%Highest VT: 10.1% |
11.1% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.1% VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
90.7% VT: 73.2% |
67.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 16% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
28 minHighest 20% above VT |
18 minLowest 22% below VT |
| Work from home | 22.3%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
13.9%±3.5 VT: 16.9% |
| Williston 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 | #11 of 70 in VT | — | — | #34 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — | Hartford School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — | Hartford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 9.6 |
| 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.