Compare towns
Dover vs Essex Junction 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
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Essex Junction has the most affordable homes ($408k median).
Williston has the most homeowners (75.1%).
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 | Dover | Essex Junction | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
10,803 |
10,144Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+14.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
39.3±3.1 about the U.S. average |
45.4±4.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
| Williston and Essex Junction are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Williston and Essex Junction are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.8%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Williston and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
52.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.7%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Essex Junction and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7k 17% above U.S. |
$89,257±$16kLowest 11% above U.S. |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above U.S. |
| Williston and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20k 31% above U.S. |
$407,500±$20kLowest 22% above U.S. |
$475,800±$40kHighest 43% above U.S. |
| Williston and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100 14% above U.S. |
$1,544±$135Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$1,832±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Williston and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,249Highest 164% above U.S. |
$6,797 118% above U.S. |
$5,592Lowest 79% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
61.3%±14.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Essex Junction and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minHighest 14% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
20 min 25% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.9%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Williston and Dover 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 | #64 of 120 in NH | #14 of 70 in VT | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Dover School District | Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union SD #51 | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Essex High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
11.7Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.