Compare towns
Burlington vs Stowe 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).
Stowe has the most expensive homes ($648k median).
Williston has the highest household income ($107k).
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 | Stowe | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 44,675Highest |
5,285Lowest |
10,144 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+21.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+16.2% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 26.8±0.8Lowest 38% below VT |
46.3±7.6Highest 7% above VT |
45.4±4.5 5% above VT |
| Stowe and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 11.1%±1.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
22.5%±4.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Stowe and Williston 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% |
25.8%±6.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
21%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
| Stowe and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.5% VT: 43.8% |
66.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
54.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 32.3%±2.2Highest VT: 7% |
1.6%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,109±$4kLowest 12% below VT |
$93,618±$33k 15% above VT |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above VT |
| Williston and Stowe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $444,800±$19kLowest 40% above VT |
$647,800±$157kHighest 105% above VT |
$475,800±$40k 50% above VT |
| Stowe and Williston 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 |
$1,458±$242Lowest 18% 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 |
$7,161 42% above VT |
$5,592Lowest 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.6%±4.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
24.5%±15.9Lowest 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% |
9.9% VT: 10.1% |
4.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 41.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
78.6%Highest VT: 73.2% |
75.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1957Lowest 19 yrs older than VT |
1982 6 yrs newer than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 20% below VT |
19 min 18% below VT |
20 minHighest 16% below VT |
| Work from home | 19%±2.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
24.4%±8.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Stowe and Williston 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 | — | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Burlington School District | Stowe Town School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| High school in town | Burlington High School | Stowe High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Highest |
11.3Lowest |
— |
| 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.