Compare towns
Bridgewater vs Stowe vs Williston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bridgewater has the most affordable homes ($218k median).
Stowe has the most expensive homes ($648k median).
Williston has the highest household income ($107k).
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 | Bridgewater | Stowe | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 980Lowest |
5,285 |
10,144Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+21.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+16.2% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 57.1±8Highest 32% above VT |
46.3±7.6 7% above VT |
45.4±4.5Lowest 5% above VT |
| Bridgewater and Stowe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.8%±5.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
22.5%±4.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Stowe and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30.2%±0.7Highest VT: 21.4% |
25.8%±6.2 VT: 21.4% |
21%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bridgewater and Stowe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
66.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
54.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±3.8Highest VT: 7% |
1.6%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7 VT: 7% |
| Bridgewater and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,272±$3kLowest 13% below VT |
$93,618±$33k 15% above VT |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above VT |
| Williston and Stowe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $218,300±$55kLowest 31% below VT |
$647,800±$157kHighest 105% above VT |
$475,800±$40k 50% above VT |
| Stowe and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $850±$778Lowest 31% below VT |
$1,458±$242 18% above VT |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,418Lowest 32% below VT |
$7,161Highest 42% above VT |
$5,592 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.7%±39.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
24.5%±15.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4 VT: 48.4% |
| Bridgewater and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
9.9% VT: 10.1% |
4.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
78.6% VT: 73.2% |
75.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest same as VT |
1982 6 yrs newer than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest about the VT average |
19 minLowest 18% below VT |
20 min 16% below VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±6.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
24.4%±8.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Stowe 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 | — | Stowe Town School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| High school in town | — | Stowe High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.3 |
— |
| 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.