Compare towns
Hampton vs Highgate vs Proctor vs Smithville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hampton has the most affordable homes ($167k median).
Highgate has the most people working from home (14.9%).
Proctor has the shortest commute (22 min average).
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 | Hampton | Highgate | Proctor | Smithville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,145Lowest |
3,528Highest |
1,586 |
1,525 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -8.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -5.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±14.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
44±7.4 13% above U.S. |
47.3±8.9Highest 22% above U.S. |
43.1±3.2Lowest 11% above U.S. |
| Proctor and Highgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.9%±6.9 U.S.: 22% |
15.8%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±5Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.6%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Proctor and Smithville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.2%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.5%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.1%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Proctor and Highgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
19.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
28%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
19.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.6%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±5.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Smithville and Proctor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,796±$8k 9% below U.S. |
$81,017±$14kHighest about the U.S. average |
$75,060±$12k 7% below U.S. |
$70,433±$7kLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Highgate and Proctor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $166,800±$10kLowest 50% below U.S. |
$280,500±$21kHighest 16% below U.S. |
$206,000±$20k 38% below U.S. |
$173,200±$42k 48% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,264±$375Highest 11% below U.S. |
$895±$691 37% below U.S. |
$1,059±$200 25% below U.S. |
$889±$186Lowest 37% below U.S. |
| Hampton and Proctor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,007Lowest 4% below U.S. |
$3,558 14% above U.S. |
$3,944 26% above U.S. |
$4,254Highest 36% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13.2%±25.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
30.5%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.4%±15.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
54.9%±31.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Smithville and Proctor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 16.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 16% below U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.8%±8.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.9%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±5 U.S.: 15.1% |
4.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Highgate and Proctor 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 | — | #43 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | — | Missisquoi Valley School District #89 | — | — |
| High school in town | — | Missisquoi Valley Union High School | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.8 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.