Compare towns
Barnard vs Hanover vs Williston vs Calais
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barnard has the most kids (26.9% under 18).
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($843k median).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
Calais has the most homeowners (92.4%).
Hanover is a college town. 49.8% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Barnard | Hanover | Williston | Calais |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,211Lowest |
8,479 |
10,144Highest |
1,713 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±6 9% above U.S. |
21.8±0.3Lowest 44% below U.S. |
45.4±4.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
42±8.6 8% above U.S. |
| Williston and Barnard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 26.9%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
9.8%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
22.5%±5.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Barnard and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Barnard and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
89.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
55.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
49.8%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.4%±3.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $97,581±$19kLowest 21% above U.S. |
$153,281±$26kHighest 90% above U.S. |
$106,967±$12k 32% above U.S. |
$100,625±$27k 25% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $402,600±$71k 21% above U.S. |
$842,600±$97kHighest 153% above U.S. |
$475,800±$40k 43% above U.S. |
$390,300±$36kLowest 17% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,372±$80Lowest about the U.S. average |
$2,254±$249Highest 60% above U.S. |
$1,832±$130 30% above U.S. |
$1,408±$392 about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,038 94% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$5,592Lowest 79% above U.S. |
$6,586 111% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27%±19.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
72%±17.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
49%±38.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hanover and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
62.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 8% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 28% below U.S. |
20 min 25% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 18% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±10.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
26.7%±6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.4%±7.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hanover and Calais 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 | — | #1 of 120 in NH | #11 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | — | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.