Compare towns
Essex Junction vs Williston vs Hartford
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 most renters (40.7% rent).
Williston has the most people working from home (22.3%).
Hartford has the most affordable homes ($305k 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.
| Measure | Essex Junction | Williston | Hartford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,803Highest |
10,144Lowest |
10,736 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +14.2% VT: +2.8% |
+16.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+7.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 39.3±3.1Lowest 9% below VT |
45.4±4.5Highest 5% above VT |
43.2±3.9 about the VT average |
| Williston and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±3.2 VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
18%±3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| 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 VT: 21.4% |
21%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
22.5%±3.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Hartford 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% |
54.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
47.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.7%±2.2Highest VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7 VT: 7% |
4.9%±1.7Lowest VT: 7% |
| 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±$16k 10% above VT |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above VT |
$78,125±$7kLowest 4% below 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 |
$475,800±$40kHighest 50% above VT |
$304,500±$26kLowest 4% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,544±$135 25% above VT |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
$1,218±$118Lowest about the VT average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,797Highest 35% above VT |
$5,592Lowest 11% above VT |
$5,773 15% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.3%±14.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4 VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±12.7Lowest 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% |
4.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.3%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
75.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
67.8% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 7 yrs newer than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
1979Lowest 3 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 18% below VT |
20 minHighest 16% below VT |
18 minLowest 22% below VT |
| Work from home | 16.9%±4 VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
13.9%±3.5Lowest 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 | #34 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union SD #51 | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Hartford School District |
| High school in town | Essex High School | None in town | Hartford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.7Highest |
— | 9.6Lowest |
| 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.