Compare towns
Cavendish vs Tunbridge vs Wilder 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 oldest housing (typical home built 1968).
Tunbridge has the most people working from home (25.8%).
Wilder has grown the fastest since 2010 (+81.7%).
Williston has the most expensive homes ($476k median).
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 | Tunbridge | Wilder | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,242Lowest |
1,253 |
3,087 |
10,144Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+4.1% VT: +2.8% |
+81.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+16.2% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.2±5.9 5% above VT |
42.7±8.3Lowest about the VT average |
45.5±8.9Highest 6% above VT |
45.4±4.5 5% above VT |
| Wilder 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% |
21.1%±4.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±4.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Tunbridge 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% |
20.9%±1.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
27.3%±4.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
21%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
| Wilder 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%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
42.9% VT: 43.8% |
60.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
54.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.9 VT: 7% |
3.6%±2Lowest VT: 7% |
8.1%±3.9Highest VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7 VT: 7% |
| Wilder 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 |
$89,464±$26k 10% above VT |
$75,143±$9kLowest 7% below VT |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above VT |
| Williston and Tunbridge 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 |
$315,300±$23k about the VT average |
$273,200±$18kLowest 14% below VT |
$475,800±$40kHighest 50% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,000±$546Lowest 19% below VT |
$1,346±$128 9% above VT |
$1,142±$451 7% below VT |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,948Lowest 22% below VT |
$4,645 8% below VT |
$5,505 9% above VT |
$5,592Highest 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 28.9%±27Lowest VT: 48.4% |
76.7%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
39.9%±17.2 VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4 VT: 48.4% |
| Tunbridge and Williston 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% |
14.4%Highest VT: 10.1% |
9.3% VT: 10.1% |
4.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.3% VT: 73.2% |
84.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
62.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
75.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Lowest 8 yrs older than VT |
1981 5 yrs newer than VT |
1983 7 yrs newer than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 21% below VT |
31 minHighest 31% above VT |
17 minLowest 29% below VT |
20 min 16% below VT |
| Work from home | 18.5%±6.6 VT: 16.9% |
25.8%±8.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
12.6%±6.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Tunbridge 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 | — | — | — | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | First Branch Unified School District #82 | — | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| 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.