Compare towns

Bow vs Lebanon vs Williston

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Lebanon has the most renters (48.8% rent).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).

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.

MeasureBowLebanonWilliston
People
Population
8,335Lowest
14,999Highest
10,144
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+9.4%
U.S.: +7.4%
+8.6%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+16.2%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
41.5±2
7% above U.S.
38.9±3.1Lowest
about the U.S. average
45.4±4.5Highest
17% above U.S.
Williston and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
25%±3.6Highest
U.S.: 22%
14.6%±2.4Lowest
U.S.: 22%
20.5%±5.2
U.S.: 22%
Bow and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
17.6%±2.5Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
21.4%±2.6Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
21%±3.5
U.S.: 17.2%
Lebanon and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
60.3%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
57.5%
U.S.: 35.7%
54.9%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.6%±1.9Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
6.9%±2.6Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.7%±2.7
U.S.: 6.4%
Lebanon and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$172,857±$16kHighest
114% above U.S.
$98,147±$10kLowest
22% above U.S.
$106,967±$12k
32% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$506,500±$34kHighest
52% above U.S.
$385,400±$29kLowest
16% above U.S.
$475,800±$40k
43% above U.S.
Bow and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,539±$178Lowest
9% above U.S.
$1,744±$132
23% above U.S.
$1,832±$130Highest
30% above U.S.
Williston and Lebanon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$9,584Highest
207% above U.S.
$8,149
161% above U.S.
$5,592Lowest
79% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
39%±13.2Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
41.9%±7.2
U.S.: 51.1%
46.9%±17.4Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
Williston and Lebanon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
2.7%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
7%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
4.3%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
87.5%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
51.2%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
75.1%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1985
5 yrs newer than U.S.
1980Lowest
same as U.S.
1993Highest
13 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
27 minHighest
about the U.S. average
14 minLowest
47% below U.S.
20 min
25% below U.S.
Work from home
22.7%±4.7
U.S.: 15.1%
22.8%±4.3Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
22.3%±7.6Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
Lebanon and Bow 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 #26 of 120 in NH #29 of 120 in NH #11 of 70 in VT
School district Bow School District Lebanon School District Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56
High school in town Bow High School Lebanon High School None in town
Students per teacherat that high school
12.8Highest
11.7Lowest
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U.S. 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.