Compare towns

Worcester vs Ripton vs Brookline 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).
Brookline has the most kids (20% under 18).
Windham has the most renters (17.1% rent).

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.

MeasureWorcesterRiptonBrooklineWindham
People
Population
831Highest
508Lowest
531
594
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
-3.4%Lowest
VT: +2.8%
+25.7%Highest
VT: +2.8%
+1.9%
VT: +2.8%
—
Median age
47±2.7
9% above VT
47.7±14.2Highest
11% above VT
45.1±2.7
5% 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%
20%±6Highest
VT: 17.9%
17.5%±7.9
VT: 17.9%
Brookline 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%
19.6%±4.2
VT: 21.4%
23.2%±8.1
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+
53%Highest
VT: 43.8%
48%
VT: 43.8%
41.1%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%
3.2%±1.6
VT: 7%
0.8%±1.1Lowest
VT: 7%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$73,833±$18kLowest
9% below VT
$112,917±$15kHighest
39% above VT
$80,833±$16k
about the VT average
$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±$27kLowest
14% below VT
$394,400±$61kHighest
25% above VT
$290,700±$37k
8% 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
—
$1,732±$232Highest
40% above VT
—
Property taxmedian, yearly
$4,421Lowest
12% below VT
$4,915
about the VT average
$5,000
about the VT average
$5,951Highest
18% above VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
25.5%±37Lowest
VT: 48.4%
52.9%±100Highest
VT: 48.4%
47.8%±94.7
VT: 48.4%
41.2%±94
VT: 48.4%
Ripton and Brookline 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%
6.2%
VT: 10.1%
9.9%Highest
VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
85.9%
VT: 73.2%
90.9%Highest
VT: 73.2%
84.9%
VT: 73.2%
82.9%Lowest
VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1976
same as VT
1973Lowest
3 yrs older than VT
1975
1 yr older than VT
1982Highest
6 yrs newer than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
29 minHighest
22% above VT
24 minLowest
about the VT average
28 min
21% above VT
27 min
14% above VT
Work from home
23.6%±4.8Highest
VT: 16.9%
17.2%±8.7Lowest
VT: 16.9%
20.6%±5.2
VT: 16.9%
20.5%±5.6
VT: 16.9%
Worcester and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 — —
High school in town None in town None in town — —
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story 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.