Compare towns
Windham vs Barre vs Ripton vs Grafton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windham has the most kids (17.5% under 18).
Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).
Ripton has the highest household income ($113k).
Grafton has the oldest population (median age 59.2).
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 | Windham | Barre | Ripton | Grafton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 594 |
8,412Highest |
508Lowest |
666 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-5% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.2±7.4 about the VT average |
42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
59.2±4.4Highest 37% above VT |
| Grafton and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.5%±7.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8 VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3 VT: 17.9% |
5.9%±3.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Windham and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.2%±8.1 VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1 VT: 21.4% |
34.2%±2Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Grafton and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.1% VT: 43.8% |
36.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
48.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
7.1%±5 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $94,500±$12k 16% above VT |
$65,625±$7kLowest 19% below VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$76,111±$7k 6% below VT |
| Ripton and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $353,900±$20k 12% above VT |
$210,400±$15kLowest 34% below VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
$343,200±$85k 8% above VT |
| Ripton and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,093±$58Lowest 11% below VT |
— | $1,288±$174Highest 4% above VT |
| Grafton and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,951Highest 18% above VT |
$5,192 3% above VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
$4,843Lowest 4% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
53.8%±69.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Grafton and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.9% VT: 10.1% |
17.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
4.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% VT: 73.2% |
50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
89.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1978 2 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 14% above VT |
19 minLowest 21% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
24 min 4% above VT |
| Work from home | 20.5%±5.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
15.8%±5.4 VT: 16.9% |
| Windham 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 | — | #19 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | — | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Athens Grafton School District |
| High school in town | — | Spaulding Union High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7 |
— | — |
| 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.