Compare towns
Windham vs Bristol vs Brookline vs Ripton
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 youngest population (median age 44.2).
Bristol has the most renters (28.7% rent).
Brookline has the most kids (20% under 18).
Ripton has the highest household income ($113k).
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 | Bristol | Brookline | Ripton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 594 |
3,778Highest |
531 |
508Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -2.9%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.9% VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.2±7.4Lowest about the VT average |
47.9±4.8Highest 11% above VT |
45.1±2.7 5% above VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
| Bristol and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.5%±7.9 VT: 17.9% |
12.8%±3.5 VT: 17.9% |
20%±6Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Brookline and Windham 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% |
21.9%±4.8 VT: 21.4% |
19.6%±4.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
41.9% VT: 43.8% |
41.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
5.2%±3.2 VT: 7% |
3.2%±1.6 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $94,500±$12k 16% above VT |
$74,620±$8kLowest 8% below VT |
$80,833±$16k about the VT average |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above 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 |
$337,300±$46k 7% above VT |
$290,700±$37kLowest 8% below VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% 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 | — | $1,275±$181Lowest 3% above VT |
$1,732±$232Highest 40% above VT |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,951 18% above VT |
$5,978Highest 19% above VT |
$5,000 about the VT average |
$4,915Lowest about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±94Lowest VT: 48.4% |
47.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
47.8%±94.7 VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Ripton and Bristol 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% |
10.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
6.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% VT: 73.2% |
71.3%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
84.9% VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 14% above VT |
25 min 5% above VT |
28 minHighest 21% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
17.9%±6.1 VT: 16.9% |
20.6%±5.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Brookline and Windham 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 | — | #31 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | — | Mt. Abraham Unified School District #61 | — | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | — | Mt. Abraham Union High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.9 |
— | — |
| 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.