Compare towns
Cambridge vs Lebanon vs Waterbury vs Wilder
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cambridge has the most kids (23% under 18).
Lebanon has the most renters (48.8% rent).
Waterbury has the most people working from home (28.3%).
Wilder has grown the fastest since 2010 (+81.7%).
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 | Cambridge | Lebanon | Waterbury | Wilder |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,767 |
14,999Highest |
5,405 |
3,087Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+81.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.4±1.8Lowest 4% below U.S. |
38.9±3.1 about the U.S. average |
43.2±3.7 11% above U.S. |
45.5±8.9Highest 17% above U.S. |
| Wilder and Waterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23%±4.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
21.9%±4.9 U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Cambridge and Waterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 14.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.4%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±4.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.3%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wilder and Lebanon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
57.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.9%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.1%±3.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wilder and Lebanon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $72,344±$19kLowest 10% below U.S. |
$98,147±$10k 22% above U.S. |
$103,917±$23kHighest 29% above U.S. |
$75,143±$9k 7% below U.S. |
| Waterbury and Lebanon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $343,000±$38k 3% above U.S. |
$385,400±$29k 16% above U.S. |
$447,200±$40kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$273,200±$18kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Waterbury and Lebanon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,183±$66 16% below U.S. |
$1,744±$132Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,027±$535Lowest 27% below U.S. |
$1,142±$451 19% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,910Lowest 57% above U.S. |
$8,149Highest 161% above U.S. |
$6,435 106% above U.S. |
$5,505 76% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.6%±7.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.9%±7.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.8%±21.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.9%±17.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Cambridge and Waterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
51.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
62.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980Lowest same as U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
14 minLowest 47% below U.S. |
30 min 14% above U.S. |
17 min 37% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.9%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.3%±6.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.6%±6.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Waterbury and Lebanon 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 | #25 of 70 in VT | #29 of 120 in NH | #20 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Cambridge School District | Lebanon School District | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Lebanon High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.7 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.