Compare towns
Bethel vs Windham vs Shoreham
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).
Windham has the most people working from home (20.5%).
Shoreham has the shortest commute (26 min average).
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 | Windham | Shoreham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,736Highest |
594Lowest |
1,269 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | -0.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 50.7±3.7 18% above VT |
44.2±7.4Lowest about the VT average |
51.8±7.2Highest 20% above VT |
| Shoreham 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% |
17.5%±7.9 VT: 17.9% |
18%±4.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Shoreham and Windham 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% |
23.2%±8.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
26.1%±3.7Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Shoreham 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%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
36.2% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.6 VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
1.7%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
| Shoreham and Bethel 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 |
$94,500±$12kHighest 16% above VT |
$93,654±$23k 15% above VT |
| Windham and Shoreham 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 |
$353,900±$20kHighest 12% above VT |
$316,400±$34k about the VT average |
| Windham and Shoreham 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 |
— | $1,306±$335Lowest 6% above VT |
| Bethel and Shoreham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,168 about the VT average |
$5,951Highest 18% above VT |
$4,713Lowest 6% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54%±22Highest VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
33.3%±48.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Bethel and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.9%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.6%Highest VT: 73.2% |
82.9% VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 10 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 19% above VT |
27 min 14% above VT |
26 minLowest 11% above VT |
| Work from home | 7.1%±3.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
15.9%±5.2 VT: 16.9% |
| Windham and Shoreham 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 |
| 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.