Compare towns
Essex vs Shelburne vs Windham
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).
Shelburne has the most people working from home (31.4%).
Windham has the most affordable homes ($354k 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 | Shelburne | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,516Highest |
7,969 |
594Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 42.4±1.9Lowest about the VT average |
50.9±3.2Highest 18% above VT |
44.2±7.4 about the VT average |
| Shelburne and Windham 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% |
20.2%±3.9 VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Essex and Shelburne 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% |
29.2%±4.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1 VT: 21.4% |
| Shelburne and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.6% VT: 43.8% |
70.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.2 VT: 7% |
4.7%±2.9Highest VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Shelburne 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±$14k 36% above VT |
$115,963±$16kHighest 43% above VT |
$94,500±$12kLowest 16% above VT |
| Shelburne and Essex 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 |
$588,100±$44kHighest 86% above VT |
$353,900±$20kLowest 12% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,569±$138Highest 27% above VT |
$1,442±$589Lowest 17% above VT |
— |
| Essex and Shelburne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,602 31% above VT |
$8,173Highest 62% above VT |
$5,951Lowest 18% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.9%±13.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
43.7%±10.6 VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Essex and Shelburne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.4% VT: 10.1% |
9.9%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.9% VT: 73.2% |
69.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
82.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 14 yrs newer than VT |
1986 10 yrs newer than VT |
1982Lowest 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 6% below VT |
20 minLowest 14% below VT |
27 minHighest 14% above VT |
| Work from home | 21.5%±5.8 VT: 16.9% |
31.4%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Shelburne 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 | #8 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.