Compare towns
Worcester vs Ripton vs Brattleboro vs Windham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Worcester has the most people working from home (23.6%).
Ripton has the highest household income ($113k).
Brattleboro has the most renters (41.5% rent).
Windham has the youngest population (median age 44.2).
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 | Worcester | Ripton | Brattleboro | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 831 |
508Lowest |
12,122Highest |
594 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+1.1% VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 47±2.7 9% above VT |
47.7±14.2Highest 11% above VT |
45.6±4.5 6% above VT |
44.2±7.4Lowest about the VT average |
| Ripton and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 12.8%±3.9 VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
19%±2.8Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9 VT: 17.9% |
| Brattleboro and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±2.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
25.5%±3.2 VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1 VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
46.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.9%±4.7 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
4.1%±1.6 VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,833±$18k 9% below VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$58,241±$8kLowest 28% below VT |
$94,500±$12k 16% 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 | $271,100±$27k 14% below VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
$257,300±$18kLowest 19% below VT |
$353,900±$20k 12% 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 | $1,023±$136Lowest 17% below VT |
— | $1,074±$58Highest 13% below VT |
— |
| Brattleboro and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,421Lowest 12% below VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
$5,700 13% above VT |
$5,951Highest 18% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25.5%±37Lowest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±9.6 VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
| Ripton and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
17.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
9.9% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.9% VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
58.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
82.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 same as VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 22% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
19 minLowest 19% below VT |
27 min 14% above VT |
| Work from home | 23.6%±4.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.9%±4 VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Worcester 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 | — | — | #33 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Brattleboro Union High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.0 |
— |
| 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.