Compare towns
Avon vs Barre vs Williston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Avon has the highest household income ($131k).
Barre has the most affordable homes ($394k median).
Williston has the most people working from home (22.3%).
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 | Avon | Barre | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,774Lowest |
5,572 |
10,144Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.5±4Lowest 4% below U.S. |
43.8±8.5 13% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
| Williston and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.6%±4.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.8%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Avon and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±5.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Williston and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.6%±2.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Avon and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $130,625±$33kHighest 62% above U.S. |
$107,727±$13k 33% above U.S. |
$106,967±$12kLowest 32% above U.S. |
| Avon and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $509,600±$62kHighest 53% above U.S. |
$394,300±$55kLowest 19% above U.S. |
$475,800±$40k 43% above U.S. |
| Avon and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,558±$265 10% above U.S. |
$1,030±$713Lowest 27% below U.S. |
$1,832±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Williston and Avon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,627Highest 112% above U.S. |
$5,163Lowest 66% above U.S. |
$5,592 79% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.3%±24.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.2%±27.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Avon and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% above U.S. |
36 minHighest 37% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.2%±4.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Williston and Barre 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 | #212 of 282 in MA | #134 of 282 in MA | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Avon | Quabbin | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| High school in town | Avon Middle High School | Quabbin Regional High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.4Lowest |
12.9Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.