Compare towns
Braintree vs South Burlington vs Williston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Braintree has the most affordable homes ($218k median).
South Burlington has the most renters (38.4% 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.
| Measure | Braintree | South Burlington | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,026Lowest |
20,756Highest |
10,144 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+13.3% VT: +2.8% |
+16.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 58.4±2.4Highest 35% above VT |
38.2±1.8Lowest 11% below VT |
45.4±4.5 5% above VT |
| Kids under 18 | 12.3%±3.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
19%±2.3 VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Williston and South Burlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 33.2%±3.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
17.8%±2.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
67.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
54.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
6.5%±2Highest VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7 VT: 7% |
| South Burlington and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,803±$5kLowest about the VT average |
$106,667±$13k 31% above VT |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above VT |
| Williston and South Burlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $217,700±$28kLowest 31% below VT |
$443,400±$19k 40% above VT |
$475,800±$40kHighest 50% above VT |
| Williston and South Burlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $840±$405Lowest 32% below VT |
$1,787±$59 45% above VT |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
| Williston and South Burlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,908Lowest 22% below VT |
$6,674Highest 32% above VT |
$5,592 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±29.4 VT: 48.4% |
42.9%±7.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Williston and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7.2% VT: 10.1% |
4.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81%Highest VT: 73.2% |
61.6%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
75.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 3 yrs newer than VT |
1989 13 yrs newer than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest 11% above VT |
18 minLowest 25% below VT |
20 min 16% below VT |
| Work from home | 19%±7.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
19.6%±3.3 VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Williston and South Burlington 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 | — | #12 of 70 in VT | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | South Burlington School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| High school in town | None in town | South Burlington High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.0 |
— |
| 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.