Compare towns
Windham vs Montpelier 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 most affordable homes ($354k median).
Montpelier has the most renters (46.9% rent).
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 | Montpelier | Ripton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 594 |
8,014Highest |
508Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.2±7.4 about the VT average |
42.3±2.4Lowest about the VT average |
47.7±14.2Highest 11% above VT |
| Ripton and Windham 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% |
17.9%±2.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Montpelier and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.2%±8.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
24.3%±3.6 VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Montpelier 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% |
66.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
5%±1.6 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,500±$12k 16% above VT |
$81,030±$6kLowest 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±$20kLowest 12% above VT |
$375,100±$21k 18% above VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
| Ripton and Montpelier are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,302±$113 6% above VT |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,951 18% above VT |
$6,936Highest 38% above VT |
$4,915Lowest about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±94Lowest VT: 48.4% |
42.4%±9.5 VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Ripton and Montpelier are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.9%Highest VT: 10.1% |
6.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% VT: 73.2% |
53.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 14% above VT |
18 minLowest 23% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
26.9%±5Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Montpelier 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 | — | #9 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Montpelier Roxbury Unified Union School District #71 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | — | Montpelier High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.