Compare towns
Dorset vs Hartford vs Richmond vs Williston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dorset has the most people working from home (29.3%).
Hartford has the most affordable homes ($305k median).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
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 | Hartford | Richmond | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,092Lowest |
10,736Highest |
4,159 |
10,144 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5% VT: +2.8% |
+7.4% VT: +2.8% |
+2.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+16.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.9±7.5Highest 6% above VT |
43.2±3.9Lowest about the VT average |
43.7±5.6 about the VT average |
45.4±4.5 5% above VT |
| 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 VT: 17.9% |
18%±3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21.5%±5 VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Dorset and Richmond are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±4.5 VT: 21.4% |
22.5%±3.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.5%±6.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
| Hartford 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 VT: 43.8% |
47.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
59.1% VT: 43.8% |
54.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
4.9%±1.7 VT: 7% |
2.8%±1.7Lowest VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7Highest VT: 7% |
| Williston and Hartford 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 37% above VT |
$78,125±$7kLowest 4% below VT |
$108,235±$24k 33% above VT |
$106,967±$12k 32% above VT |
| Dorset and Richmond are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $569,200±$57kHighest 80% above VT |
$304,500±$26kLowest 4% below VT |
$432,200±$39k 37% above VT |
$475,800±$40k 50% above VT |
| Dorset and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,420±$296 15% above VT |
$1,218±$118Lowest about the VT average |
— | $1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
| Williston and Dorset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,489Highest 49% above VT |
$5,773 15% above VT |
$6,868 36% above VT |
$5,592Lowest 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 74.4%±22.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±12.7 VT: 48.4% |
28.5%±15.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4 VT: 48.4% |
| Dorset and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
11.1% VT: 10.1% |
4.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
4.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
67.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
78.8% VT: 73.2% |
75.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
1983 7 yrs newer than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 8% below VT |
18 minLowest 22% below VT |
25 minHighest 6% above VT |
20 min 16% below VT |
| Work from home | 29.3%±7.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
13.9%±3.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
22.5%±6.1 VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Dorset and Richmond 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 | — | #34 of 70 in VT | #5 of 70 in VT | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Taconic and Green Regional School District #63 | Hartford School District | Mount Mansfield Unified Union School District #401 | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| High school in town | None in town | Hartford High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.6 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 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.