Compare towns
Duxbury vs Calais vs Waitsfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Duxbury has the youngest population (median age 37.5).
Calais has the most people working from home (23.4%).
Waitsfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.3%).
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 | Duxbury | Calais | Waitsfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,548Lowest |
1,713 |
1,918Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7% VT: +2.8% |
+3.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+7.3%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 37.5±4.4Lowest 13% below VT |
42±8.6 about the VT average |
44.3±5.3Highest about the VT average |
| Waitsfield and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.8%±3.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
22.5%±5.4 VT: 17.9% |
23.8%±5.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Waitsfield and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 13%±2.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21.6%±5.2 VT: 21.4% |
28.2%±6.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Waitsfield and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 58.5% VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
63.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.5%±3.3 VT: 7% |
7.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
3.8%±3Lowest VT: 7% |
| Calais and Duxbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $105,208±$25kHighest 30% above VT |
$100,625±$27k 24% above VT |
$84,375±$34kLowest 4% above VT |
| Duxbury and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $364,600±$27kLowest 15% above VT |
$390,300±$36k 23% above VT |
$422,400±$92kHighest 33% above VT |
| Waitsfield and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,318±$407 7% above VT |
$1,408±$392Highest 14% above VT |
$1,200±$821Lowest about the VT average |
| Calais and Duxbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,564 30% above VT |
$6,586Highest 31% above VT |
$6,208Lowest 23% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 21.2%±21Lowest VT: 48.4% |
49%±38.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
47.4%±30.6 VT: 48.4% |
| Calais and Waitsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% VT: 73.2% |
92.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 12 yrs newer than VT |
1976Lowest same as VT |
1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest about the VT average |
31 minHighest 32% above VT |
25 min 6% above VT |
| Work from home | 18.6%±3.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
23.4%±7.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
19%±6.1 VT: 16.9% |
| Calais and Waitsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 |
| High school in town | Harwood Union Middle/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 |
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.