What stands out worked out from the figures below

Essex Junction has the most people working from home (16.9%).

Gorham has the most affordable homes ($162k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Essex Junction	Gorham
People
Population	10,803Highest	2,682Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+14.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	-5.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	39.3±3.1Lowest about the U.S. average	53.9±3.6Highest 39% above U.S.
Kids under 18	19.6%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22%	12.5%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	14.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	31.7%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	52.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	20.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.7%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4%	6.7%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$89,257±$16kHighest 11% above U.S.	$61,275±$7kLowest 24% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$407,500±$20kHighest 22% above U.S.	$161,600±$49kLowest 51% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,544±$135Highest 9% above U.S.	$838±$83Lowest 41% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,797Highest 118% above U.S.	$4,334Lowest 39% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	61.3%±14.5Highest U.S.: 51.1%	41%±20.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Essex Junction and Gorham 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%	4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	59.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	71.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S.	1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	19 minLowest 27% below U.S.	23 minHighest 14% below U.S.
Work from home	16.9%±4Highest U.S.: 15.1%	1.7%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#14 of 70 in VT	#57 of 120 in NH
School district	Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union SD #51	Gorham Randolph Shelburne Cooperative School District
High school in town	Essex High School	Gorham High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.7Highest	9.0Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.