Compare towns
Charlotte vs Durham vs Shelburne
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Charlotte has the most homeowners (95.5%).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
Shelburne has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8%).
Durham is a college town. 55.1% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Charlotte | Durham | Shelburne |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,916Lowest |
15,080Highest |
7,969 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.2±5Highest 34% above U.S. |
20.8±0.3Lowest 47% below U.S. |
50.9±3.2 31% above U.S. |
| Charlotte and Shelburne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.2%±3.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Shelburne and Charlotte are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.3%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.2%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Shelburne and Charlotte are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 66.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
70.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
55.1%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $144,375±$27kHighest 79% above U.S. |
$124,056±$21k 54% above U.S. |
$115,963±$16kLowest 44% above U.S. |
| Charlotte and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $695,300±$53kHighest 109% above U.S. |
$504,300±$41kLowest 52% above U.S. |
$588,100±$44k 77% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,738±$803Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,429±$143Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,442±$589 about the U.S. average |
| Charlotte and Shelburne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,221 196% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$8,173Lowest 162% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.1%±28.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±16Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±10.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Durham and Charlotte are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
15.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
64.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981Lowest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest 5% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
20 min 23% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 29.8%±8.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
31.4%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Shelburne and Charlotte 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 | #3 of 70 in VT | #9 of 120 in NH | #8 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Oyster River Coop School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| High school in town | None in town | Oyster River High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.3 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 51 photos → | 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.