Compare towns
Essex Junction vs Gorham 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).
Gorham has the most homeowners (81.5%).
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 | Gorham | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,803 |
18,300Highest |
10,144Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +14.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±3.1Lowest about the U.S. average |
39.4±2.9 about the U.S. average |
45.4±4.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
| Williston and Gorham 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% |
20.9%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Gorham 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% |
17.5%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Williston and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.7%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
13.1%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $89,257±$16kLowest 11% above U.S. |
$112,312±$6kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$106,967±$12k 32% above U.S. |
| Gorham and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $407,500±$20kLowest 22% above U.S. |
$460,900±$26k 39% above U.S. |
$475,800±$40kHighest 43% above U.S. |
| Williston and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,544±$135Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$1,680±$355 19% above U.S. |
$1,832±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Williston and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,797Highest 118% above U.S. |
$4,825Lowest 55% above U.S. |
$5,592 79% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.3%±14.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.9%±8.6Lowest 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% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Lowest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1988 8 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% |
19%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Williston and Gorham 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 | #24 of 133 in ME | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union SD #51 | Gorham Public Schools | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| High school in town | Essex High School | Gorham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.7Lowest |
12.9Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.