What stands out worked out from the figures below

Colchester has the most homeowners (74.1%).

Burlington has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.5%).

Burlington is a college town. 32.3% 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Colchester	Burlington
People
Population	17,648Lowest	44,675Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.7%Lowest VT: +2.8%	+5.5%Highest VT: +2.8%
Median age	39.3±1.4Highest 9% below VT	26.8±0.8Lowest 38% below VT
Kids under 18	19.1%±2.5Highest VT: 17.9%	11.1%±1.2Lowest VT: 17.9%
Age 65+	17.9%±2.1Highest VT: 21.4%	12.1%±1.1Lowest VT: 21.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	40.8%Lowest VT: 43.8%	60.5%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	10.9%±1.3Lowest VT: 7%	32.3%±2.2Highest VT: 7%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$97,891±$9kHighest 21% above VT	$71,109±$4kLowest 12% below VT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$394,400±$25kLowest 25% above VT	$444,800±$19kHighest 40% above VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,474±$122Lowest 19% above VT	$1,649±$53Highest 34% above VT
	Burlington and Colchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,471Lowest 9% above VT	$7,335Highest 46% above VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	46.2%±10.6Lowest VT: 48.4%	55.6%±4.9Highest VT: 48.4%
	Burlington and Colchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7%Lowest VT: 10.1%	20.5%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	74.1%Highest VT: 73.2%	41.5%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT	1957Lowest 19 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	20 minHighest 15% below VT	19 minLowest 20% below VT
Work from home	19%±3.9 VT: 16.9%	19%±2.5 VT: 16.9%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#18 of 70 in VT	#23 of 70 in VT
School district	Colchester School District	Burlington School District
High school in town	Colchester High School	Burlington High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.8Lowest	12.1Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.