Compare towns
Cavendish vs Royalton vs Sharon vs Williston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cavendish has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Royalton has the most renters (36.5% rent).
Sharon has the most kids (21% under 18).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
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 | Cavendish | Royalton | Sharon | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,242Lowest |
2,752 |
1,577 |
10,144Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.8% VT: +2.8% |
-0.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+3.9% VT: +2.8% |
+16.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.2±5.9 5% above VT |
43.9±10.1Lowest about the VT average |
45.6±7.7Highest 6% above VT |
45.4±4.5 5% above VT |
| Sharon and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±4.8 VT: 17.9% |
14.4%±5.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21%±5Highest VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Sharon and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.6%±2 VT: 21.4% |
22.1%±6.4 VT: 21.4% |
25.1%±3.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
21%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Sharon and Cavendish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.3% VT: 43.8% |
42.6% VT: 43.8% |
37.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
54.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.9 VT: 7% |
8%±4.2Highest VT: 7% |
1.5%±0.9Lowest VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7 VT: 7% |
| Royalton and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $89,063±$29k 10% above VT |
$103,938±$24k 28% above VT |
$84,375±$17kLowest 4% above VT |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above VT |
| Williston and Royalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $285,100±$40k 10% below VT |
$263,200±$73kLowest 17% below VT |
$346,700±$37k 10% above VT |
$475,800±$40kHighest 50% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,000±$546Lowest 19% below VT |
$1,040±$391 16% below VT |
$1,386±$155 12% above VT |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,948Lowest 22% below VT |
$4,675 7% below VT |
$5,903Highest 17% above VT |
$5,592 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 28.9%±27 VT: 48.4% |
36.7%±16.1 VT: 48.4% |
19.8%±17.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Williston and Royalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.3% VT: 10.1% |
13%Highest VT: 10.1% |
3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
4.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
63.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
79.7% VT: 73.2% |
75.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 8 yrs older than VT |
1965Lowest 11 yrs older than VT |
1981 5 yrs newer than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 21% below VT |
20 min 13% below VT |
26 minHighest 12% above VT |
20 min 16% below VT |
| Work from home | 18.5%±6.6 VT: 16.9% |
17.8%±7.3 VT: 16.9% |
12.7%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Williston and Cavendish 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 | — | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | White River Unified School District #79 | Sharon School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| High school in town | None in town | White River Valley High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.7 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.