Compare towns
Windham vs Wardsboro 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 most renters (17.1% rent).
Wardsboro has the oldest population (median age 51.6).
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 | Wardsboro | Brookline | Ripton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 594 |
820Highest |
531 |
508Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.4%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 |
51.6±7.3Highest 20% above VT |
45.1±2.7 5% above VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
| Wardsboro 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% |
18.8%±6.5 VT: 17.9% |
20%±6Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Brookline and Wardsboro 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% |
27.4%±3.1 VT: 21.4% |
19.6%±4.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Wardsboro 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% |
38.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
41.1% VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
0.9%±0.9 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 |
$62,000±$6kLowest 24% 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 |
$299,300±$47k 5% below 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 | — | $1,479±$224Lowest 20% above VT |
$1,732±$232Highest 40% above VT |
— |
| Brookline and Wardsboro 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 |
$4,345Lowest 14% below VT |
$5,000 about the VT average |
$4,915 about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±94Lowest VT: 48.4% |
54.5%±58Highest VT: 48.4% |
47.8%±94.7 VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
| Wardsboro 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 VT: 10.1% |
7.7% VT: 10.1% |
6.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.4% VT: 73.2% |
84.9% VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1978 2 yrs newer than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 14% above VT |
27 min 14% above VT |
28 minHighest 21% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
13.3%±5.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
20.6%±5.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
| Brookline and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | — | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — | None in town |
| 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.