Compare towns
Bethel vs Williston vs Barnet
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 oldest population (median age 50.7).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
Barnet has the most kids (21.6% 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 | Williston | Barnet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,736Lowest |
10,144Highest |
1,855 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+16.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-2.6% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 50.7±3.7Highest 18% above VT |
45.4±4.5Lowest 5% above VT |
47.7±5.3 11% above VT |
| Bethel and Barnet 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% |
20.5%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
21.6%±4.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Barnet and Williston 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% |
21%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
28.8%±3.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Barnet 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% VT: 43.8% |
54.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
35.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.6 VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7Highest VT: 7% |
1%±0.9Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $75,822±$7k 7% below VT |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above VT |
$67,386±$15kLowest 17% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $238,000±$41kLowest 25% below VT |
$475,800±$40kHighest 50% above VT |
$247,900±$24k 22% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,335±$220 8% above VT |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
$974±$72Lowest 21% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,168 about the VT average |
$5,592Highest 11% above VT |
$4,489Lowest 11% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54%±22 VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
59.3%±29.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Barnet and Bethel 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% |
4.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.6%Highest VT: 73.2% |
75.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
79.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 10 yrs older than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
1974 2 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 19% above VT |
20 minLowest 16% below VT |
28 min 17% above VT |
| Work from home | 7.1%±3.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
13.3%±4.5 VT: 16.9% |
| Williston and Barnet 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 | — | #11 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | White River Unified School District #79 | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 |
| 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.