What stands out worked out from the figures below

Colchester has the most homeowners (74.1%).

Winooski has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10%).

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	Winooski
People
Population	17,648Highest	8,293Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.7%Lowest VT: +2.8%	+10%Highest VT: +2.8%
Median age	39.3±1.4Highest 9% below VT	33.3±1.7Lowest 23% below VT
Kids under 18	19.1%±2.5Highest VT: 17.9%	13.5%±2.8Lowest VT: 17.9%
Age 65+	17.9%±2.1Highest VT: 21.4%	10.9%±2.7Lowest VT: 21.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	40.8%Lowest VT: 43.8%	59.1%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	10.9%±1.3Lowest VT: 7%	12.3%±4.4Highest VT: 7%
	Winooski and Colchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$97,891±$9kHighest 21% above VT	$79,522±$11kLowest about the VT average
	Colchester and Winooski are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$394,400±$25kHighest 25% above VT	$381,500±$25kLowest 20% above VT
	Colchester and Winooski are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,474±$122Lowest 19% above VT	$1,643±$90Highest 33% above VT
	Winooski 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	$6,802Highest 35% above VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	46.2%±10.6Lowest VT: 48.4%	46.8%±9.5Highest VT: 48.4%
	Winooski 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%	13.8%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	74.1%Highest VT: 73.2%	35.2%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT	1974Lowest 2 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	20 minLowest 15% below VT	22 minHighest 7% below VT
Work from home	19%±3.9Highest VT: 16.9%	16.4%±4Lowest VT: 16.9%
	Colchester and Winooski 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	#18 of 70 in VT	#70 of 70 in VT
School district	Colchester School District	Winooski Incorporated School District
High school in town	Colchester High School	Winooski High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.8Highest	6.4Lowest
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.