Compare towns
Hampton vs Waterville vs Franklin vs Fair Haven
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).
Waterville has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.9%).
Franklin has the most people working from home (18.1%).
Fair Haven has the oldest housing (typical home built 1938).
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 | Waterville | Franklin | Fair Haven |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,145 |
680Lowest |
1,590 |
2,724Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -8.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±14.7 11% above U.S. |
49.1±8.2Highest 26% above U.S. |
38.8±6.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
39.2±7.6 about the U.S. average |
| Waterville and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.9%±6.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.4%±8.2 U.S.: 22% |
23.5%±5.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Franklin and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.3%±1.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hampton and Fair Haven 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% |
32.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
21.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±3.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.5%±3.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Franklin and Waterville 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. |
$71,250±$27k 12% below U.S. |
$79,917±$21kHighest about the U.S. average |
$62,404±$16kLowest 23% below U.S. |
| Franklin and Hampton 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. |
$236,300±$15k 29% below U.S. |
$247,400±$66kHighest 26% below U.S. |
$176,500±$14k 47% below U.S. |
| Franklin and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,264±$375Highest 11% below U.S. |
$1,110±$93 21% below U.S. |
$891±$266 37% below U.S. |
$830±$116Lowest 41% below U.S. |
| Hampton and Waterville 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. |
$3,957Highest 27% above U.S. |
$3,384 8% above U.S. |
$3,865 24% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13.2%±25.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±27.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
45.5%±42.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.9%±20.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Fair Haven and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 16.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
18.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
74.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
38 minHighest 42% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 4% below U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.8%±8.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.5%±3 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
4.3%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | — | #66 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Lamoille North Modified Union School District #058A | Missisquoi Valley School District #89 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | Fair Haven Union Middle and High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 12.8 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 12 photos → |
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.