Compare towns
Bethel vs Williston vs Tunbridge
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).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
Tunbridge has the most people working from home (25.8%).
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 | Tunbridge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,736 |
10,144Highest |
1,253Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+16.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+4.1% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 50.7±3.7Highest 18% above VT |
45.4±4.5 5% above VT |
42.7±8.3Lowest about the VT average |
| Bethel and Williston 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% |
21.1%±4.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Tunbridge and Williston 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% |
21%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
20.9%±1.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bethel and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
54.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
42.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7Highest VT: 7% |
3.6%±2 VT: 7% |
| Williston and Tunbridge 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 |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above VT |
$89,464±$26k 10% above VT |
| Williston and Tunbridge 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 |
$475,800±$40kHighest 50% above VT |
$315,300±$23k about the VT average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,335±$220Lowest 8% above VT |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
$1,346±$128 9% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,168 about the VT average |
$5,592Highest 11% above VT |
$4,645Lowest 8% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54%±22 VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
76.7%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Tunbridge 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% |
4.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
14.4%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.6% VT: 73.2% |
75.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
84.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 10 yrs older than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
1981 5 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 19% above VT |
20 minLowest 16% below VT |
31 minHighest 31% above VT |
| Work from home | 7.1%±3.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6 VT: 16.9% |
25.8%±8.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Tunbridge and Williston 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 | First Branch Unified School District #82 |
| 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.