Compare towns
Hartford vs Chester vs Williston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hartford has the most renters (32.2% rent).
Chester has the most affordable homes ($233k median).
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 | Chester | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,736Highest |
2,992Lowest |
10,144 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.4% VT: +2.8% |
-4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+16.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 43.2±3.9Lowest about the VT average |
49.7±4.7Highest 15% above VT |
45.4±4.5 5% above VT |
| Chester and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3 VT: 17.9% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Williston and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.5%±3.3 VT: 21.4% |
29.8%±7.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
21%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Chester and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.6% VT: 43.8% |
33.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
54.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.7Lowest VT: 7% |
5.1%±4 VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7Highest VT: 7% |
| Williston and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,125±$7k 4% below VT |
$62,125±$8kLowest 23% below VT |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $304,500±$26k 4% below VT |
$232,900±$44kLowest 26% below VT |
$475,800±$40kHighest 50% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,218±$118 about the VT average |
$960±$44Lowest 22% below VT |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,773Highest 15% above VT |
$4,262Lowest 15% below VT |
$5,592 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.6%±12.7 VT: 48.4% |
11.5%±12.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
| 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 VT: 10.1% |
7% VT: 10.1% |
4.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
86.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
75.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 22% below VT |
28 minHighest 18% above VT |
20 min 16% below VT |
| Work from home | 13.9%±3.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
14%±6.9 VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Williston and Chester 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 | #49 of 70 in VT | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Hartford School District | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| High school in town | Hartford High School | Green Mountain Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.6Highest |
8.7Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.