Compare towns
Bethel vs Sheldon vs Danville
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).
Sheldon has the most kids (23.7% under 18).
Danville has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.3%).
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 | Bethel | Sheldon | Danville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,736Lowest |
2,267 |
2,360Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-2.5% VT: +2.8% |
+6.3%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 50.7±3.7 18% above VT |
40.9±3.5Lowest 5% below VT |
53.1±6Highest 23% above VT |
| Danville and Bethel 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% |
23.7%±3.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.9%±4.9 VT: 17.9% |
| Sheldon and Danville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.5%±3.7Highest VT: 21.4% |
12.6%±2.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
24.7%±3.9 VT: 21.4% |
| Bethel and Danville 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% |
14.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
32.8% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
2%±1.3Highest VT: 7% |
1.5%±1.2 VT: 7% |
| Sheldon and Danville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $75,822±$7k 7% below VT |
$78,533±$25kHighest 3% below VT |
$70,946±$7kLowest 13% below VT |
| Sheldon and Bethel 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 |
$272,400±$61k 14% below VT |
$275,800±$43kHighest 13% below VT |
| Danville and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,335±$220Highest 8% above VT |
$1,286±$379Lowest 4% above VT |
— |
| Bethel and Sheldon 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 |
$3,578Lowest 29% below VT |
$4,358 14% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54%±22Highest VT: 48.4% |
0%±27Lowest VT: 48.4% |
9.5%±11.4 VT: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 8.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
5.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.6%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
89%Highest VT: 73.2% |
84.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 10 yrs older than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 19% above VT |
25 minLowest 7% above VT |
33 minHighest 39% above VT |
| Work from home | 7.1%±3.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
13%±3.7 VT: 16.9% |
18.7%±9.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Danville and Sheldon 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 | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 | — |
| High school 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.