Compare towns
Dorset vs Everett vs Williston vs Waitsfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dorset has the most people working from home (29.3%).
Everett has the most renters (62.8% rent).
Williston has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Waitsfield has the most affordable homes ($422k 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 | Dorset | Everett | Williston | Waitsfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,092 |
50,045Highest |
10,144 |
1,918Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+17.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.9±7.5Highest 18% above U.S. |
35.2±1.5Lowest 10% below U.S. |
45.4±4.5 17% above U.S. |
44.3±5.3 14% above U.S. |
| Dorset and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 24%±5.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±2.1 U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.8%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Dorset and Waitsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
11.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
28.2%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Waitsfield and Dorset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 72.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
63.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.3%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Everett and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $111,250±$40kHighest 38% above U.S. |
$85,218±$7k 6% above U.S. |
$106,967±$12k 32% above U.S. |
$84,375±$34kLowest 5% above U.S. |
| Dorset and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $569,200±$57k 71% above U.S. |
$610,000±$23kHighest 83% above U.S. |
$475,800±$40k 43% above U.S. |
$422,400±$92kLowest 27% above U.S. |
| Everett and Dorset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,420±$296 about the U.S. average |
$2,076±$69Highest 47% above U.S. |
$1,832±$130 30% above U.S. |
$1,200±$821Lowest 15% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,489Highest 140% above U.S. |
$4,880Lowest 56% above U.S. |
$5,592 79% above U.S. |
$6,208 99% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 74.4%±22.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±5.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.4%±30.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dorset and Everett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
14.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 18% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 33% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
25 min 5% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 29.3%±7.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±6.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dorset 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 | — | #264 of 282 in MA | #11 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Taconic and Green Regional School District #63 | Everett | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 |
| High school in town | None in town | Everett High | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 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.