Compare towns
Dover vs Hartford vs Williston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+60%).
Hartford has the most renters (32.2% rent).
Williston has the most expensive homes ($476k 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 | Dover | Hartford | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,466Lowest |
10,736Highest |
10,144 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +60%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+7.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+16.2% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 53.5±8.3Highest 24% above VT |
43.2±3.9Lowest about the VT average |
45.4±4.5 5% above VT |
| Dover and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 10.2%±5.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18%±3 VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Williston and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.5%±6.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
22.5%±3.3 VT: 21.4% |
21%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Dover and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.9% VT: 43.8% |
47.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
54.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.9Lowest VT: 7% |
4.9%±1.7 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 | $52,313±$7kLowest 36% below VT |
$78,125±$7k 4% below VT |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $332,900±$55k 5% above VT |
$304,500±$26kLowest 4% below VT |
$475,800±$40kHighest 50% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $670±$49Lowest 46% below VT |
$1,218±$118 about the VT average |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,510Lowest 10% below VT |
$5,773Highest 15% above VT |
$5,592 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.1%±17.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±12.7 VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Williston and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.3% VT: 10.1% |
11.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
4.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
67.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
75.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984 8 yrs newer than VT |
1979Lowest 3 yrs newer than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minHighest 6% below VT |
18 minLowest 22% below VT |
20 min 16% below VT |
| Work from home | 23.2%±11.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
13.9%±3.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Dover 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 | — | #34 of 70 in VT | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | Hartford School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| High school in town | None in town | Hartford High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.6 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.