Compare towns
Dorset vs Surry vs Williston
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%).
Surry has the most affordable homes ($331k 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 | Surry | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,092 |
1,052Lowest |
10,144Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.9±7.5Highest 18% above U.S. |
44.7±5.1Lowest 15% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5 17% 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% |
20.8%±6.2 U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Dorset and Surry 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% |
23.3%±7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Surry 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% |
31.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.6%±6.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Surry 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. |
$110,125±$25k 36% above U.S. |
$106,967±$12kLowest 32% above U.S. |
| Dorset and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $569,200±$57kHighest 71% above U.S. |
$331,400±$23kLowest about the U.S. average |
$475,800±$40k 43% above U.S. |
| 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±$296Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,955±$374Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,832±$130 30% above U.S. |
| Surry and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,489Highest 140% above U.S. |
$6,384 105% above U.S. |
$5,592Lowest 79% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 74.4%±22.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.3%±74.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
3.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
91.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 18% below U.S. |
22 minHighest 17% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 29.3%±7.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16%±7.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6 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 | — | — | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Taconic and Green Regional School District #63 | — | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.