What stands out worked out from the figures below

Grafton has the most affordable homes ($343k median).

Stowe has grown the fastest since 2010 (+21.1%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Grafton	Stowe
People
Population	666Lowest	5,285Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-5%Lowest VT: +2.8%	+21.1%Highest VT: +2.8%
Median age	59.2±4.4Highest 37% above VT	46.3±7.6Lowest 7% above VT
Kids under 18	5.9%±3.7Lowest VT: 17.9%	22.5%±4.6Highest VT: 17.9%
Age 65+	34.2%±2Highest VT: 21.4%	25.8%±6.2Lowest VT: 21.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	48.4%Lowest VT: 43.8%	66.7%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	7.1%±5Highest VT: 7%	1.6%±1.6Lowest VT: 7%
	Grafton and Stowe 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	$93,618±$33kHighest 15% above VT
	Stowe and Grafton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$343,200±$85kLowest 8% above VT	$647,800±$157kHighest 105% above VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,288±$174Lowest 4% above VT	$1,458±$242Highest 18% above VT
	Stowe and Grafton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,843Lowest 4% below VT	$7,161Highest 42% above VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	53.8%±69.4Highest VT: 48.4%	24.5%±15.9Lowest VT: 48.4%
	Grafton and Stowe 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%	9.9%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	89.9%Highest VT: 73.2%	78.6%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1978Lowest 2 yrs newer than VT	1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minHighest 4% above VT	19 minLowest 18% below VT
Work from home	15.8%±5.4Lowest VT: 16.9%	24.4%±8.9Highest VT: 16.9%
	Stowe and Grafton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	Athens Grafton School District	Stowe Town School District
High school in town	None in town	Stowe High School
Students per teacherat that high school	—	11.3
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.