Compare towns
Essex vs Plainfield vs Williston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Essex has the most kids (22.4% under 18).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($318k 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 | Plainfield | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,516Highest |
1,314Lowest |
10,144 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.8% VT: +2.8% |
-0.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+16.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.4±1.9Lowest about the VT average |
48.1±5.5Highest 12% above VT |
45.4±4.5 5% above VT |
| Plainfield and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.4%±3.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Essex and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.9%±3.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5Highest VT: 21.4% |
21%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
| Plainfield and Williston 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 VT: 43.8% |
48.2%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
54.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.2 VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7Highest VT: 7% |
| Williston and Essex 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 VT |
$69,250±$31kLowest 15% below VT |
$106,967±$12k 32% above VT |
| 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 41% above VT |
$318,400±$34kLowest about the VT average |
$475,800±$40kHighest 50% above VT |
| 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 27% above VT |
$1,153±$103Lowest 7% below VT |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
| 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 31% above VT |
$4,806Lowest 5% below VT |
$5,592 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.9%±13.1Lowest VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4 VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5% VT: 10.1% |
11.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
4.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.9% VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
75.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990 14 yrs newer than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 6% below VT |
24 minHighest about the VT average |
20 minLowest 16% below VT |
| Work from home | 21.5%±5.8 VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| 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 | — | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union SD #51 | — | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| 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.