Compare towns
Burlington vs Colchester vs Williston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Burlington has the most renters (58.5% rent).
Colchester has the most affordable homes ($394k median).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
Burlington is a college town. 32.3% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Burlington | Colchester | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 44,675Highest |
17,648 |
10,144Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5% VT: +2.8% |
+2.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+16.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 26.8±0.8Lowest 38% below VT |
39.3±1.4 9% below VT |
45.4±4.5Highest 5% above VT |
| Kids under 18 | 11.1%±1.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
19.1%±2.5 VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Williston and Colchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 12.1%±1.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
17.9%±2.1 VT: 21.4% |
21%±3.5Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Williston and Colchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
40.8%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
54.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 32.3%±2.2Highest VT: 7% |
10.9%±1.3 VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,109±$4kLowest 12% below VT |
$97,891±$9k 21% above VT |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above VT |
| Williston and Colchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $444,800±$19k 40% above VT |
$394,400±$25kLowest 25% above VT |
$475,800±$40kHighest 50% above VT |
| Williston and Burlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,649±$53 34% above VT |
$1,474±$122Lowest 19% above VT |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
| Williston and Burlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,335Highest 46% above VT |
$5,471Lowest 9% above VT |
$5,592 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.6%±4.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
46.2%±10.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4 VT: 48.4% |
| Burlington and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 20.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7% VT: 10.1% |
4.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 41.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
74.1% VT: 73.2% |
75.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1957Lowest 19 yrs older than VT |
1981 5 yrs newer than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 20% below VT |
20 minHighest 15% below VT |
20 min 16% below VT |
| Work from home | 19%±2.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
19%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Williston and Burlington 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 | #23 of 70 in VT | #18 of 70 in VT | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Burlington School District | Colchester School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| High school in town | Burlington High School | Colchester High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Highest |
11.8Lowest |
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| 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.