Compare towns
Cavendish vs Williston vs Calais
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 most affordable homes ($285k median).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
Calais has the most homeowners (92.4%).
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 | Williston | Calais |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,242Lowest |
10,144Highest |
1,713 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+16.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+3.4% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.2±5.9 5% above VT |
45.4±4.5Highest 5% above VT |
42±8.6Lowest about the VT average |
| Williston and Cavendish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±4.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
22.5%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Calais and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.6%±2Highest VT: 21.4% |
21%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21.6%±5.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Cavendish and Calais 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% |
54.9% VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7 VT: 7% |
7.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
| Calais 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±$29kLowest 10% above VT |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above VT |
$100,625±$27k 24% above VT |
| Williston and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $285,100±$40kLowest 10% below VT |
$475,800±$40kHighest 50% above VT |
$390,300±$36k 23% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,000±$546Lowest 19% below VT |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
$1,408±$392 14% above VT |
| Williston and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,948Lowest 22% below VT |
$5,592 11% above VT |
$6,586Highest 31% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 28.9%±27Lowest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4 VT: 48.4% |
49%±38.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Calais 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% |
4.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.3% VT: 73.2% |
75.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Lowest 8 yrs older than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 21% below VT |
20 min 16% below VT |
31 minHighest 32% above VT |
| Work from home | 18.5%±6.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6 VT: 16.9% |
23.4%±7.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Calais 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 | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 12 photos → | 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.