Compare towns
Exeter vs Thurman vs Williston vs Otsego
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 the most kids (22.7% under 18).
Thurman has the most affordable homes ($197k median).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
Otsego has the most renters (29.6% rent).
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 | Thurman | Williston | Otsego |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 913Lowest |
977 |
10,144Highest |
3,627 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -14.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-10.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-6.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.7±12.6 33% above U.S. |
52.7±3.8Highest 35% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5Lowest 17% above U.S. |
52.1±5.8 34% above U.S. |
| Thurman and Otsego are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.7%±7.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.8%±4 U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
12.1%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Exeter and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.9%±10.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
28.8%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
31.8%±5.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Otsego and Thurman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
24.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.7%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Otsego and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $77,550±$19k 4% below U.S. |
$58,750±$14kLowest 27% below U.S. |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above U.S. |
$72,891±$16k 10% below U.S. |
| Williston and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $243,000±$89k 27% below U.S. |
$197,400±$43kLowest 41% below U.S. |
$475,800±$40kHighest 43% above U.S. |
$352,600±$42k 6% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $867±$44Lowest 39% below U.S. |
$2,175±$599Highest 54% above U.S. |
$1,832±$130 30% above U.S. |
$1,205±$165 15% below U.S. |
| Thurman and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,926 6% below U.S. |
$2,368Lowest 24% below U.S. |
$5,592Highest 79% above U.S. |
$4,702 51% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
23.1%±77.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
30.6%±17.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Williston and Otsego are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
19.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
70.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 9% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 14.4%±10.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±8.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±9.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Williston and Otsego 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 | — | — | #11 of 70 in VT | #65 of 484 in NY |
| School district | — | — | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | COOPERSTOWN CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | — | — | None in town | COOPERSTOWN JUNIOR/SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 12.8 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.