Compare towns
Douglas vs Williston vs Lakeville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Douglas has the highest household income ($152k).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
Lakeville has the most expensive homes ($566k 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 | Douglas | Williston | Lakeville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,207Lowest |
10,144 |
11,944Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44±2.6 13% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
43.8±1.9Lowest 13% above U.S. |
| Williston and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.2%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
20.2%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Douglas and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.3%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Williston and Lakeville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
38.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.7%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Lakeville and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $152,267±$10kHighest 89% above U.S. |
$106,967±$12kLowest 32% above U.S. |
$133,984±$11k 66% above U.S. |
| Douglas and Lakeville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $470,600±$29kLowest 41% above U.S. |
$475,800±$40k 43% above U.S. |
$565,900±$27kHighest 70% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,503±$697Lowest 6% above U.S. |
$1,832±$130 30% above U.S. |
$1,884±$466Highest 33% above U.S. |
| Lakeville and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,338Highest 103% above U.S. |
$5,592 79% above U.S. |
$5,536Lowest 77% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.9%±17.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.5%±18.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lakeville and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1984Lowest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 28% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
33 min 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.9%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.2%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Williston and Douglas 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 | #177 of 282 in MA | #11 of 70 in VT | #96 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Douglas | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Freetown-Lakeville |
| High school in town | Douglas High School | None in town | Apponequet Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.2Lowest |
— | 10.9Highest |
| 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.