Compare towns
Arlington vs Duxbury vs Shaftsbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Arlington has the most people working from home (35.9%).
Duxbury has the most expensive homes ($365k median).
Shaftsbury has the most kids (26.5% under 18).
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 | Arlington | Duxbury | Shaftsbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,598 |
1,548Lowest |
3,607Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+5.7% VT: +2.8% |
+0.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 37.6±4 13% below VT |
37.5±4.4Lowest 13% below VT |
43±6.6Highest about the VT average |
| Shaftsbury and Arlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±3.9 VT: 17.9% |
17.8%±3.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
26.5%±6.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Shaftsbury and Arlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±3.2 VT: 21.4% |
13%±2.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21.8%±4.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Shaftsbury and Arlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.9% VT: 43.8% |
58.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
40.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.7 VT: 7% |
6.5%±3.3Highest VT: 7% |
2.1%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Duxbury and Arlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $102,308±$11k 26% above VT |
$105,208±$25kHighest 30% above VT |
$86,071±$24kLowest 6% above VT |
| Duxbury and Arlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $318,500±$59k about the VT average |
$364,600±$27kHighest 15% above VT |
$267,300±$24kLowest 16% below VT |
| Duxbury and Arlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,191±$172 3% below VT |
$1,318±$407Highest 7% above VT |
$1,079±$54Lowest 13% below VT |
| Duxbury and Arlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,549 10% below VT |
$6,564Highest 30% above VT |
$4,015Lowest 20% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 77.1%±9.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
21.2%±21Lowest VT: 48.4% |
52.7%±36 VT: 48.4% |
| Arlington and Shaftsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.5% VT: 10.1% |
2.7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84%Highest VT: 73.2% |
82.4% VT: 73.2% |
82.3%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 10 yrs older than VT |
1988Highest 12 yrs newer than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 13% below VT |
23 min about the VT average |
25 minHighest 5% above VT |
| Work from home | 35.9%±10.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
18.6%±3.6 VT: 16.9% |
7.2%±5.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #50 of 70 in VT | — | #62 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Arlington School District | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 | Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 |
| High school in town | Arlington Memorial | Harwood Union Middle/High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.6Highest |
9.6Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.