Compare towns
Castleton vs Essex Junction vs Williston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Castleton has the most affordable homes ($225k median).
Essex Junction has the most renters (40.7% rent).
Williston has the most people working from home (22.3%).
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 | Castleton | Essex Junction | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,453Lowest |
10,803Highest |
10,144 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+14.2% VT: +2.8% |
+16.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
39.3±3.1 9% below VT |
45.4±4.5Highest 5% above VT |
| Williston and Essex Junction are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±6.4Lowest VT: 17.9% |
19.6%±3.2 VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Williston and Essex Junction are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
14.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21%±3.5Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Williston and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
52.4% VT: 43.8% |
54.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
6.7%±2.2 VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23kLowest 9% below VT |
$89,257±$16k 10% above VT |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above VT |
| Williston and Essex Junction are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $224,800±$71kLowest 29% below VT |
$407,500±$20k 29% above VT |
$475,800±$40kHighest 50% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195Lowest 8% below VT |
$1,544±$135 25% above VT |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$6,797Highest 35% above VT |
$5,592 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
61.3%±14.5 VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Essex Junction are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
9.5% VT: 10.1% |
4.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79%Highest VT: 73.2% |
59.3%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
75.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 2 yrs older than VT |
1983 7 yrs newer than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 17% below VT |
19 minLowest 18% below VT |
20 minHighest 16% below VT |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.9%±4 VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Williston and Essex Junction 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 | #39 of 70 in VT | #14 of 70 in VT | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union SD #51 | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| High school in town | None in town | Essex 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 |
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.