Compare towns
Brighton vs Cornish 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
Brighton has the most affordable homes ($164k median).
Cornish has the most homeowners (94.1%).
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 | Brighton | Cornish | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,167Lowest |
1,816 |
10,144Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.2±11.6Lowest 16% above U.S. |
54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5 17% above U.S. |
| Cornish and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±5.7 U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Williston and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.2%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.3%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Cornish and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Williston and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $47,375±$21kLowest 41% below U.S. |
$91,821±$2k 14% above U.S. |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $163,900±$39kLowest 51% below U.S. |
$296,000±$69k 11% below U.S. |
$475,800±$40kHighest 43% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $775±$33Lowest 45% below U.S. |
$1,221±$227 14% below U.S. |
$1,832±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,360Lowest 8% above U.S. |
$5,796Highest 86% above U.S. |
$5,592 79% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55%±17Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.5%±38.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brighton and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 22%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.4%±8.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
12%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Williston and Brighton 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 | Brighton School District | Cornish School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| 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 |
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.