Compare towns
Bristol vs Clarendon vs Wallingford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bristol has the most people working from home (17.9%).
Clarendon has the shortest commute (16 min average).
Wallingford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.4%).
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 | Bristol | Clarendon | Wallingford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,778Highest |
2,460 |
2,286Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.9% VT: +2.8% |
-6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+2.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.9±4.8 11% above VT |
52.3±4.1Highest 21% above VT |
45.9±10.8Lowest 6% above VT |
| Clarendon and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.8%±3.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.6%±5.1 VT: 17.9% |
18.7%±5Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Wallingford and Clarendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±4.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
27.4%±4.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
23.9%±3.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Clarendon and Wallingford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
25.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
30.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±3.2Highest VT: 7% |
1.1%±1Lowest VT: 7% |
1.5%±1.1 VT: 7% |
| Bristol and Wallingford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,620±$8k 8% below VT |
$59,609±$12kLowest 27% below VT |
$80,230±$15kHighest about the VT average |
| Wallingford and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $337,300±$46kHighest 7% above VT |
$220,900±$32kLowest 30% below VT |
$261,900±$44k 17% below VT |
| Bristol and Wallingford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,275±$181Highest 3% above VT |
$1,096±$305 11% below VT |
$891±$95Lowest 28% below VT |
| Bristol and Clarendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,978Highest 19% above VT |
$3,740Lowest 26% below VT |
$4,355 14% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
48.4%±27.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
14.3%±13.5Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Clarendon and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.3%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
84.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
82.5% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest same as VT |
1971Lowest 5 yrs older than VT |
1971Lowest 5 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 5% above VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
25 minHighest 6% above VT |
| Work from home | 17.9%±6.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
9.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
7.1%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Bristol and Clarendon 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 | #31 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | Mt. Abraham Unified School District #61 | Mill River Unified Union School District #52 | Mill River Unified Union School District #52 |
| High school in town | Mt. Abraham Union High School | Mill River Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9Highest |
9.4Lowest |
— |
| 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.