Compare towns
Windham vs Needham vs Westminster vs Ripton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
Westminster has the most affordable homes ($314k median).
Ripton has the shortest commute (24 min average).
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 | Needham | Westminster | Ripton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 594 |
32,459Highest |
497Lowest |
508 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +11.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.2±7.4 14% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6Lowest 11% above U.S. |
43.3±11.5 11% above U.S. |
47.7±14.2Highest 23% above U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
28.4%±7.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Westminster and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.2%±8.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±11.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.2%±3.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
20.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $94,500±$12k 17% above U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$81,000±$22kLowest about the U.S. average |
$112,917±$15k 40% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $353,900±$20k 6% above U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$313,600±$39kLowest 6% below U.S. |
$394,400±$61k 19% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
$749±$315Lowest 47% below U.S. |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,951 91% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,480Lowest 44% above U.S. |
$4,915 58% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±94 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
6.1%±43.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Needham and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
30 minHighest 13% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.5%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.1%±15.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±8.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Needham and Westminster 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 282 in MA | #53 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Needham | — | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | — | Needham High | — | 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 |
U.S. 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.