Compare towns
Essex vs Gray 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 has the most kids (22.4% under 18).
Gray has the most affordable homes ($364k median).
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 | Gray | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,516Highest |
8,429Lowest |
10,144 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±1.9Lowest 9% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
| Williston and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
19%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Essex and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.9%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Williston and Essex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Williston and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $110,199±$14kHighest 36% above U.S. |
$95,236±$8kLowest 18% above U.S. |
$106,967±$12k 32% above U.S. |
| Essex and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $447,300±$14k 34% above U.S. |
$363,700±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$475,800±$40kHighest 43% above U.S. |
| Williston and Essex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,569±$138 11% above U.S. |
$1,371±$89Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,832±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Williston and Essex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,602Highest 112% above U.S. |
$3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$5,592 79% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.9%±13.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
1983Lowest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 17% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.5%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Williston and Essex 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 | #13 of 70 in VT | #10 of 133 in ME | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union SD #51 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| High school in town | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5 |
— |
| 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.