Compare towns
Exeter vs Shelburne vs Waitsfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Shelburne has the most people working from home (31.4%).
Waitsfield has the most kids (23.8% under 18).
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 | Exeter | Shelburne | Waitsfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,151Highest |
7,969 |
1,918Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
50.9±3.2Highest 31% above U.S. |
44.3±5.3Lowest 14% above U.S. |
| Shelburne and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.2%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
23.8%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Waitsfield and Shelburne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.2%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
28.2%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Shelburne and Waitsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
70.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Shelburne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
$115,963±$16kHighest 44% above U.S. |
$84,375±$34kLowest 5% above U.S. |
| Shelburne and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
$588,100±$44kHighest 77% above U.S. |
$422,400±$92kLowest 27% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,442±$589 about the U.S. average |
$1,200±$821Lowest 15% below U.S. |
| Exeter and Shelburne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$8,173 162% above U.S. |
$6,208Lowest 99% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±10.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.4%±30.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Waitsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 6% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 23% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 5% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
31.4%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±6.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #22 of 120 in NH | #8 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 59 photos → | 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.