Compare towns
Bristol vs Williston vs Guilford
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 renters (28.7% rent).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
Guilford has the most affordable homes ($313k median).
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 | Williston | Guilford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,778 |
10,144Highest |
2,461Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.9%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+16.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
0% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.9±4.8Highest 11% above VT |
45.4±4.5Lowest 5% above VT |
46.7±5.2 8% above VT |
| Bristol and Guilford 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% |
20.5%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±4.9 VT: 17.9% |
| Williston and Guilford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±4.8 VT: 21.4% |
21%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
27.6%±4Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Guilford and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
54.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
44.8% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±3.2 VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7Highest VT: 7% |
2.6%±2.4Lowest VT: 7% |
| Williston and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,620±$8kLowest 8% below VT |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above VT |
$75,243±$6k 7% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $337,300±$46k 7% above VT |
$475,800±$40kHighest 50% above VT |
$312,600±$39kLowest about the VT average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,275±$181Lowest 3% above VT |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
$1,283±$273 4% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,978Highest 19% above VT |
$5,592Lowest 11% above VT |
$5,827 16% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.9%±14.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±19.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Bristol and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.1% VT: 10.1% |
4.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
10.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.3%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
75.1% VT: 73.2% |
80.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest same as VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 5% above VT |
20 minLowest 16% below VT |
25 minHighest 7% above VT |
| Work from home | 17.9%±6.1 VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.7%±5.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Williston and Bristol 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 | #11 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Mt. Abraham Unified School District #61 | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| High school in town | Mt. Abraham Union High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.