Compare towns
Hartford vs Amherst vs Williston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hartford has the most affordable homes ($305k median).
Amherst has the most people working from home (32.4%).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
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 | Hartford | Amherst | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,736 |
11,861Highest |
10,144Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.2±3.9Lowest 11% above U.S. |
45.9±3.5Highest 18% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5 17% above U.S. |
| Amherst and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Amherst and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.5%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.2%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hartford and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
65.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Williston and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,125±$7kLowest 3% below U.S. |
$153,196±$10kHighest 90% above U.S. |
$106,967±$12k 32% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $304,500±$26kLowest 8% below U.S. |
$537,600±$30kHighest 62% above U.S. |
$475,800±$40k 43% above U.S. |
| Amherst and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,218±$118Lowest 14% below U.S. |
$1,462±$256 3% above U.S. |
$1,832±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Williston and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,773 85% above U.S. |
$9,773Highest 213% above U.S. |
$5,592Lowest 79% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.6%±12.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
31.4%±9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Williston and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1978Lowest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
20 min 25% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.9%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±5.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Amherst 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 | #34 of 70 in VT | #20 of 120 in NH | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Hartford School District | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| High school in town | Hartford High School | Souhegan Coop High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.6Lowest |
10.4Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.