Compare towns
Windham vs St. Albans vs Ripton vs Townshend
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
St. Albans has the most renters (51% rent).
Ripton has the highest household income ($113k).
Townshend has the most people working from home (28%).
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 | St. Albans | Ripton | Townshend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 594 |
6,954Highest |
508Lowest |
1,538 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -0.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+4.8% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.2±7.4 about the VT average |
38.7±2Lowest 10% below VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
55.6±9.6Highest 29% above VT |
| Townshend 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% |
20.5%±3.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
12%±2.6 VT: 17.9% |
| St. Albans 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% |
13.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.3%±6.6 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% VT: 43.8% |
31.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
52.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
2.7%±1.6 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
1.4%±0.8 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $94,500±$12k 16% above VT |
$57,980±$7kLowest 29% below VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$78,750±$29k 3% 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 |
$263,400±$18kLowest 17% below VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
$287,200±$79k 9% below VT |
| Ripton and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,150±$78Highest 7% below VT |
— | $1,074±$80Lowest 13% below VT |
| St. Albans and Townshend 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 |
$4,436Lowest 12% below VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
$5,364 6% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±94Lowest VT: 48.4% |
51.8%±11.8 VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
72.5%±23.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Townshend 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% |
19.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
8.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% VT: 73.2% |
49%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
82.6% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1945Lowest 31 yrs older than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 14% above VT |
23 minLowest 4% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
25 min 6% above VT |
| Work from home | 20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
12.1%±3.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
28%±18.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Townshend 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 | — | #46 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | — | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | West River Valley Union Education District #72B · West River Valley Union Education District #72A |
| High school in town | — | Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans) | None in town | Leland & Gray Union Middle & High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4Highest |
— | 8.1Lowest |
| 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.