Compare towns
Bristol vs Windham vs Worcester
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).
Windham has the most kids (17.5% under 18).
Worcester has the most affordable homes ($271k 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 | Windham | Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,778Highest |
594Lowest |
831 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— | -3.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.9±4.8Highest 11% above VT |
44.2±7.4Lowest about the VT average |
47±2.7 9% above VT |
| Bristol and Worcester 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% |
17.5%±7.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
12.8%±3.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Windham and Bristol 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% |
23.2%±8.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.5%±2.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Windham 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% |
48.1% VT: 43.8% |
53%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±3.2 VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
6.9%±4.7Highest VT: 7% |
| Worcester 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±$8k 8% below VT |
$94,500±$12kHighest 16% above VT |
$73,833±$18kLowest 9% below VT |
| Windham 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±$46k 7% above VT |
$353,900±$20kHighest 12% above VT |
$271,100±$27kLowest 14% below VT |
| Windham and Bristol 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 |
— | $1,023±$136Lowest 17% below VT |
| Bristol and Worcester 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 |
$5,951 18% above VT |
$4,421Lowest 12% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.9%±14.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
25.5%±37Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Bristol and Windham 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% |
9.9% VT: 10.1% |
5.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.3%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
82.9% VT: 73.2% |
85.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest same as VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1976Lowest same as VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 5% above VT |
27 min 14% above VT |
29 minHighest 22% above VT |
| Work from home | 17.9%±6.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
23.6%±4.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Worcester and Windham 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 | — | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | Mt. Abraham Union High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9 |
— | — |
| 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.