Compare towns
Barnet vs Norwich vs Williston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barnet has the most affordable homes ($248k median).
Norwich has the most expensive homes ($638k median).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
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 | Barnet | Norwich | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,855Lowest |
3,640 |
10,144Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+5.8% VT: +2.8% |
+16.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.7±5.3Highest 11% above VT |
40.8±3.2Lowest 5% below VT |
45.4±4.5 5% above VT |
| Barnet and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.6%±4.9 VT: 17.9% |
24%±5.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±5.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Norwich and Barnet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 28.8%±3.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
16%±3.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
81%Highest VT: 43.8% |
54.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1%±0.9Lowest VT: 7% |
4.8%±2.4 VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7Highest VT: 7% |
| Williston and Norwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $67,386±$15kLowest 17% below VT |
$140,313±$12kHighest 73% above VT |
$106,967±$12k 32% above VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $247,900±$24kLowest 22% below VT |
$637,500±$76kHighest 101% above VT |
$475,800±$40k 50% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $974±$72Lowest 21% below VT |
$1,460±$322 18% above VT |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
| Williston and Norwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,489Lowest 11% below VT |
$10,000+Highest at least 98% above VT |
$5,592 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.3%±29.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
30.7%±19.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4 VT: 48.4% |
| Barnet and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
2.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
4.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
71.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
75.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 2 yrs older than VT |
1982 6 yrs newer than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 17% above VT |
19 minLowest 19% below VT |
20 min 16% below VT |
| Work from home | 13.3%±4.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
21%±5.3 VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Williston and Norwich 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 70 in VT | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 | Norwich School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.