Compare towns

Gray vs Richmond vs Williston vs Hermon

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Gray has the most homeowners (82.4%).
Richmond has the highest household income ($108k).
Williston has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Hermon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+19.3%).

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.

MeasureGrayRichmondWillistonHermon
People
Population
8,429
4,159Lowest
10,144Highest
6,727
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+6.5%
U.S.: +7.4%
+2.1%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+16.2%
U.S.: +7.4%
+19.3%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
43.4±4.5
12% above U.S.
43.7±5.6
12% above U.S.
45.4±4.5Highest
17% above U.S.
41.1±4.7Lowest
6% above U.S.
Williston and Richmond are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
19%±4Lowest
U.S.: 22%
21.5%±5
U.S.: 22%
20.5%±5.2
U.S.: 22%
21.6%±4.6Highest
U.S.: 22%
Hermon and Richmond are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
19.3%±4Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
19.5%±6.3
U.S.: 17.2%
21%±3.5Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
20.4%±4.7
U.S.: 17.2%
Williston and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
44.8%
U.S.: 35.7%
59.1%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
54.9%
U.S.: 35.7%
37.6%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.4%±2.2
U.S.: 6.4%
2.8%±1.7Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.7%±2.7Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
4.8%±2.1
U.S.: 6.4%
Williston and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$95,236±$8kLowest
18% above U.S.
$108,235±$24kHighest
34% above U.S.
$106,967±$12k
32% above U.S.
$96,629±$22k
20% above U.S.
Richmond and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$363,700±$20k
9% above U.S.
$432,200±$39k
30% above U.S.
$475,800±$40kHighest
43% above U.S.
$333,600±$32kLowest
about the U.S. average
Williston and Richmond are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,371±$89Lowest
about the U.S. average
—
$1,832±$130Highest
30% above U.S.
$1,406±$202
about the U.S. average
Property taxmedian, yearly
$3,683
18% above U.S.
$6,868Highest
120% above U.S.
$5,592
79% above U.S.
$2,761Lowest
11% below U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
56.4%±24Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
28.5%±15.8
U.S.: 51.1%
46.9%±17.4
U.S.: 51.1%
28.2%±19.1Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
Gray and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
3.5%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
4.2%
U.S.: 12.5%
4.3%
U.S.: 12.5%
6.8%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
82.4%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
78.8%
U.S.: 65.2%
75.1%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
75.2%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1983Lowest
3 yrs newer than U.S.
1983Lowest
3 yrs newer than U.S.
1993
13 yrs newer than U.S.
2000Highest
20 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
29 minHighest
8% above U.S.
25 min
6% below U.S.
20 minLowest
25% below U.S.
23 min
14% below U.S.
Work from home
12.3%±3.5
U.S.: 15.1%
22.5%±6.1Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
22.3%±7.6
U.S.: 15.1%
8.8%±4.2Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
Richmond 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 #10 of 133 in ME #5 of 70 in VT #11 of 70 in VT #54 of 133 in ME
School district RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences Mount Mansfield Unified Union School District #401 Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 Hermon Public Schools
High school in town Gray-New Gloucester High School None in town None in town Hermon High School
Students per teacherat that high school
12.5Lowest
— —
14.6Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story 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.