Compare towns
Essex Junction vs Bellows Falls 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 youngest population (median age 39.3).
Bellows Falls has the most affordable homes ($196k median).
Williston has the most people working from home (22.3%).
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 | Essex Junction | Bellows Falls | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,803Highest |
2,891Lowest |
10,144 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +14.2% VT: +2.8% |
-12.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+16.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 39.3±3.1Lowest 9% below VT |
41.3±6.7 4% below VT |
45.4±4.5Highest 5% above VT |
| Williston and Bellows Falls 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% |
22.6%±6.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Bellows Falls 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% |
23.7%±5.7Highest VT: 21.4% |
21%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
| Bellows Falls 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% VT: 43.8% |
27.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
54.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.7%±2.2 VT: 7% |
8.2%±4.3Highest VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7Lowest VT: 7% |
| Bellows Falls and Essex Junction are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $89,257±$16k 10% above VT |
$56,086±$2kLowest 31% below VT |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above VT |
| Williston and Essex Junction 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 |
$195,600±$35kLowest 38% below VT |
$475,800±$40kHighest 50% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,544±$135 25% above VT |
$1,038±$109Lowest 16% below VT |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,797Highest 35% above VT |
$4,448Lowest 12% below VT |
$5,592 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.3%±14.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
43.9%±16.8Lowest 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% VT: 10.1% |
25.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
4.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.3% VT: 73.2% |
50.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
75.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 7 yrs newer than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 18% below VT |
20 minHighest 14% below VT |
20 min 16% below VT |
| Work from home | 16.9%±4 VT: 16.9% |
6.9%±5.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Williston and Essex Junction 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 | — | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| High school in town | Essex High School | — | 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.