Compare towns
Essex Junction vs Bow 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
Essex Junction has the most renters (40.7% rent).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
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 | Bow | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,803Highest |
8,335Lowest |
10,144 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +14.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±3.1Lowest about the U.S. average |
41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
| Williston and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Williston and Bow 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.7%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 11% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$106,967±$12k 32% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $407,500±$20kLowest 22% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$475,800±$40k 43% above U.S. |
| Bow and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,544±$135 9% above U.S. |
$1,539±$178Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$1,832±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,797 118% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$5,592Lowest 79% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.3%±14.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Lowest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
20 min 25% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.9%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow 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 | #14 of 70 in VT | #26 of 120 in NH | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union SD #51 | Bow School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| High school in town | Essex High School | Bow High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.7Lowest |
12.8Highest |
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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.