Compare towns
Essex Junction vs Barnard vs Williston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Essex Junction has the most renters (40.7% rent).
Barnard has the most kids (26.9% under 18).
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 | Essex Junction | Barnard | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,803Highest |
1,211Lowest |
10,144 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +14.2% VT: +2.8% |
+4.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+16.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 39.3±3.1Lowest 9% below VT |
42.4±6 about the VT average |
45.4±4.5Highest 5% above VT |
| Williston and Barnard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±3.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
26.9%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Barnard and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
22%±3.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
21%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
| Barnard and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.4%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
55.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
54.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.7%±2.2Highest VT: 7% |
2.4%±1.8Lowest VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7 VT: 7% |
| Essex Junction and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $89,257±$16kLowest 10% above VT |
$97,581±$19k 20% above VT |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above VT |
| Williston and Barnard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $407,500±$20k 29% above VT |
$402,600±$71kLowest 27% above VT |
$475,800±$40kHighest 50% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,544±$135 25% above VT |
$1,372±$80Lowest 11% above VT |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,797Highest 35% above VT |
$6,038 20% above VT |
$5,592Lowest 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.3%±14.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
27%±19.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4 VT: 48.4% |
| Essex Junction and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
2.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
4.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.3%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
85.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
75.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 7 yrs newer than VT |
1971Lowest 5 yrs older than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 18% below VT |
29 minHighest 21% above VT |
20 min 16% below VT |
| Work from home | 16.9%±4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
19.3%±10.8 VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Williston and Barnard 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 | #14 of 70 in VT | — | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union SD #51 | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| High school in town | Essex High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.7 |
— | — |
| 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.