Compare towns
Ferrisburgh vs Williston vs Montpelier
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ferrisburgh has the most homeowners (85.3%).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
Montpelier has the most renters (46.9% 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 | Ferrisburgh | Williston | Montpelier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,661Lowest |
10,144Highest |
8,014 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+16.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+2.8% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.5±4.9Highest 6% above VT |
45.4±4.5 5% above VT |
42.3±2.4Lowest about the VT average |
| Ferrisburgh and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±4.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.9%±2.5 VT: 17.9% |
| Williston and Montpelier are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.3%±3.8 VT: 21.4% |
21%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
24.3%±3.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Montpelier and Ferrisburgh are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 51.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
54.9% VT: 43.8% |
66.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±2.8Lowest VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7Highest VT: 7% |
5%±1.6 VT: 7% |
| Williston and Montpelier are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $106,989±$22kHighest 32% above VT |
$106,967±$12k 32% above VT |
$81,030±$6kLowest about the VT average |
| Ferrisburgh and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $422,700±$35k 34% above VT |
$475,800±$40kHighest 50% above VT |
$375,100±$21kLowest 18% above VT |
| Williston and Ferrisburgh are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,435±$173 16% above VT |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
$1,302±$113Lowest 6% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,120 21% above VT |
$5,592Lowest 11% above VT |
$6,936Highest 38% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57%±19.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4 VT: 48.4% |
42.4%±9.5Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Ferrisburgh and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
4.3% VT: 10.1% |
6.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
75.1% VT: 73.2% |
53.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 8 yrs older than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 21% above VT |
20 min 16% below VT |
18 minLowest 23% below VT |
| Work from home | 14.6%±4.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6 VT: 16.9% |
26.9%±5Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Montpelier 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 | #7 of 70 in VT | #11 of 70 in VT | #9 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Addison Northwest Unified Union School District #54 | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Montpelier Roxbury Unified Union School District #71 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Montpelier High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.4 |
| 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.