Compare towns
Calais vs Royalton vs Waitsfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Calais has the most people working from home (23.4%).
Royalton has the most affordable homes ($263k median).
Waitsfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.3%).
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 | Calais | Royalton | Waitsfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,713Lowest |
2,752Highest |
1,918 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.4% VT: +2.8% |
-0.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+7.3%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42±8.6Lowest about the VT average |
43.9±10.1 about the VT average |
44.3±5.3Highest about the VT average |
| Waitsfield and Royalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.5%±5.4 VT: 17.9% |
14.4%±5.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
23.8%±5.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Waitsfield and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.6%±5.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
22.1%±6.4 VT: 21.4% |
28.2%±6.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Waitsfield and Royalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.4% VT: 43.8% |
42.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
63.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.4%±3.4 VT: 7% |
8%±4.2Highest VT: 7% |
3.8%±3Lowest VT: 7% |
| Royalton and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $100,625±$27k 24% above VT |
$103,938±$24kHighest 28% above VT |
$84,375±$34kLowest 4% above VT |
| Royalton and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $390,300±$36k 23% above VT |
$263,200±$73kLowest 17% below VT |
$422,400±$92kHighest 33% above VT |
| Waitsfield and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,408±$392Highest 14% above VT |
$1,040±$391Lowest 16% below VT |
$1,200±$821 about the VT average |
| Calais and Waitsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,586Highest 31% above VT |
$4,675Lowest 7% below VT |
$6,208 23% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49%±38.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
36.7%±16.1Lowest VT: 48.4% |
47.4%±30.6 VT: 48.4% |
| Calais and Waitsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.8% VT: 10.1% |
13%Highest VT: 10.1% |
6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
63.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
79.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 same as VT |
1965Lowest 11 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 32% above VT |
20 minLowest 13% below VT |
25 min 6% above VT |
| Work from home | 23.4%±7.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.8%±7.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
19%±6.1 VT: 16.9% |
| Calais and Waitsfield 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 | — | #48 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | White River Unified School District #79 | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 |
| High school in town | None in town | White River Valley High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.7 |
— |
| 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.