Compare towns
Bethel vs Salisbury vs Whiting
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bethel has the most affordable homes ($238k median).
Salisbury has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Whiting has the most kids (23.5% 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 | Bethel | Salisbury | Whiting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,736Highest |
1,200 |
532Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+7.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 50.7±3.7Highest 18% above VT |
50.6±6.5 17% above VT |
39.6±2.7Lowest 8% below VT |
| Bethel and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 11.4%±3.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
16.6%±3.2 VT: 17.9% |
23.5%±6.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Whiting and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.5%±3.7 VT: 21.4% |
30.4%±2.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
13%±5.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Salisbury and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
34.6% VT: 43.8% |
25.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
1.6%±1.1 VT: 7% |
6.2%±4Highest VT: 7% |
| Whiting and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $75,822±$7kLowest 7% below VT |
$99,688±$21kHighest 23% above VT |
$91,250±$38k 12% above VT |
| Salisbury and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $238,000±$41kLowest 25% below VT |
$306,900±$51kHighest 3% below VT |
$280,400±$36k 11% below VT |
| Salisbury and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,335±$220 8% above VT |
$1,443±$984Highest 17% above VT |
$1,204±$519Lowest about the VT average |
| Salisbury and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,168Highest about the VT average |
$4,842 4% below VT |
$4,227Lowest 16% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54%±22 VT: 48.4% |
31.9%±22.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
58.3%±37.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Whiting and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.2% VT: 10.1% |
4.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.6% VT: 73.2% |
88.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
65.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 10 yrs older than VT |
1967 9 yrs older than VT |
1975Highest 1 yr older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 19% above VT |
19 minLowest 20% below VT |
22 min 7% below VT |
| Work from home | 7.1%±3.1 VT: 16.9% |
6%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
10%±5.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Whiting and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | White River Unified School District #79 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 |
| 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 |
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.