Compare towns
Gilsum vs Williston vs Alstead
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gilsum has the most homeowners (93.5%).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
Alstead has the oldest population (median age 56).
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 | Gilsum | Williston | Alstead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 716Lowest |
10,144Highest |
1,551 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.8±8.1Lowest 15% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5 17% above U.S. |
56±3.3Highest 44% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 12%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.3%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Williston and Alstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Alstead and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 18.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Williston and Alstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $80,417±$7k about the U.S. average |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above U.S. |
$64,526±$11kLowest 20% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $241,500±$32kLowest 27% below U.S. |
$475,800±$40kHighest 43% above U.S. |
$271,600±$37k 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,575±$894Lowest 11% above U.S. |
$1,832±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
— |
| Williston and Gilsum are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,579 79% above U.S. |
$5,592Highest 79% above U.S. |
$5,322Lowest 71% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 76.5%±55.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
72.1%±22.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gilsum and Alstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
76% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.9%±8.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Williston and Alstead 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 | — |
| School district | Monadnock Regional School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Fall Mountain Regional School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.