Compare towns
Grafton vs Cavendish vs Waltham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Grafton has the most homeowners (89.9%).
Cavendish has the most kids (18.3% under 18).
Waltham has the most people working from home (20.6%).
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 | Grafton | Cavendish | Waltham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 666 |
1,242Highest |
452Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 59.2±4.4 37% above VT |
45.2±5.9Lowest 5% above VT |
60.8±7.3Highest 41% above VT |
| Waltham and Grafton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 5.9%±3.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.3%±4.8Highest VT: 17.9% |
12.8%±7.4 VT: 17.9% |
| Cavendish and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 34.2%±2 VT: 21.4% |
23.6%±2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
45.4%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
39.3% VT: 43.8% |
39%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.1%±5Highest VT: 7% |
4.3%±1.9 VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Grafton and Cavendish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $76,111±$7kLowest 6% below VT |
$89,063±$29k 10% above VT |
$97,500±$14kHighest 20% above VT |
| Waltham and Cavendish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $343,200±$85kHighest 8% above VT |
$285,100±$40kLowest 10% below VT |
$329,700±$51k 4% above VT |
| Grafton and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,288±$174Highest 4% above VT |
$1,000±$546Lowest 19% below VT |
$1,096±$113 11% below VT |
| Grafton and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,843 4% below VT |
$3,948Lowest 22% below VT |
$5,714Highest 13% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.8%±69.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
28.9%±27Lowest VT: 48.4% |
29.2%±58.6 VT: 48.4% |
| Grafton and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
6.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
81.3%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
86.3% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 2 yrs newer than VT |
1968Lowest 8 yrs older than VT |
1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 4% above VT |
19 minLowest 21% below VT |
28 minHighest 18% above VT |
| Work from home | 15.8%±5.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
18.5%±6.6 VT: 16.9% |
20.6%±5.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Waltham and Cavendish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Athens Grafton School District | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 18 photos → | 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.