Compare towns
Fall River vs Stowe vs Williston vs Lawrence
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Fall River has the most affordable homes ($396k median).
Stowe has the most expensive homes ($648k median).
Williston has the highest household income ($107k).
Lawrence has the most renters (71.9% 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 | Fall River | Stowe | Williston | Lawrence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 94,082Highest |
5,285Lowest |
10,144 |
88,736 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+21.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.2 about the U.S. average |
46.3±7.6Highest 19% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5 17% above U.S. |
32.6±0.9Lowest 16% below U.S. |
| Stowe and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.5%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
26.3%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Lawrence and Stowe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.1%±0.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
10.5%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Stowe and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
66.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
16.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±0.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Williston and Lawrence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $56,673±$3kLowest 30% below U.S. |
$93,618±$33k 16% above U.S. |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above U.S. |
$60,433±$3k 25% below U.S. |
| Williston and Stowe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $395,500±$11kLowest 19% above U.S. |
$647,800±$157kHighest 95% above U.S. |
$475,800±$40k 43% above U.S. |
$415,200±$23k 25% above U.S. |
| Stowe and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,155±$27Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,458±$242 3% above U.S. |
$1,832±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,662±$50 18% above U.S. |
| Williston and Lawrence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,953 27% above U.S. |
$7,161Highest 130% above U.S. |
$5,592 79% above U.S. |
$3,422Lowest 10% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.5%±3.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
24.5%±15.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
60.6%±3.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 19.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
17.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
78.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
28.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1950 30 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
20 min 25% below U.S. |
23 min 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.1%±1.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.4%±8.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.8%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Stowe and Williston 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 | #262 of 282 in MA | — | #11 of 70 in VT | #278 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Stowe Town School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Lawrence |
| High school in town | B M C Durfee High | Stowe High School | None in town | Lawrence High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Lowest |
11.3Lowest |
— | 13.6Highest |
| 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.