Compare towns
Essex Junction vs Sunapee 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).
Sunapee has the oldest population (median age 56.7).
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 | Sunapee | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,803Highest |
3,416Lowest |
10,144 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +14.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±3.1Lowest about the U.S. average |
56.7±1.4Highest 46% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5 17% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
9.9%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Williston and Essex Junction 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% |
33.3%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
50.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.7%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±3.5Lowest 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. |
$101,393±$20k 26% above U.S. |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above U.S. |
| Williston and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $407,500±$20k 22% above U.S. |
$393,000±$51kLowest 18% above U.S. |
$475,800±$40kHighest 43% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,544±$135Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$1,713±$451 21% above U.S. |
$1,832±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Williston and Sunapee 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. |
$4,400Lowest 41% above U.S. |
$5,592 79% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.3%±14.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
34.6%±10.5Lowest 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
20 min 25% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.9%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.5%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #14 of 120 in NH | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union SD #51 | Sunapee School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| High school in town | Essex High School | Sunapee Sr. High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.7Lowest |
11.9Highest |
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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.