Compare towns
Hartford vs Keene vs Williston vs Essex Junction
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Keene has the most affordable homes ($253k median).
Williston has the most people working from home (22.3%).
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.
| Measure | Hartford | Keene | Williston | Essex Junction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,736 |
22,939Highest |
10,144Lowest |
10,803 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+14.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.2±3.9 11% above U.S. |
37.6±2.3Lowest 3% below U.S. |
45.4±4.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
39.3±3.1 about the U.S. average |
| Williston and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3 U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Williston and Essex Junction 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% |
19.5%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.9%±2.5Lowest 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
52.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
13.8%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.7%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $78,125±$7kLowest 3% below U.S. |
$78,445±$8k about the U.S. average |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above U.S. |
$89,257±$16k 11% above U.S. |
| Williston and Essex Junction are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $304,500±$26k 8% below U.S. |
$252,500±$12kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$475,800±$40kHighest 43% above U.S. |
$407,500±$20k 22% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,218±$118Lowest 14% below U.S. |
$1,342±$68 5% below U.S. |
$1,832±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,544±$135 9% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,773 85% above U.S. |
$6,812Highest 118% above U.S. |
$5,592Lowest 79% above U.S. |
$6,797 118% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.6%±12.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.5%±6.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
61.3%±14.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Essex Junction and Williston 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% |
10.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
55.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 min 30% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
20 minHighest 25% below U.S. |
19 min 27% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.9%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.9%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Williston and Essex Junction 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 | #81 of 120 in NH | #11 of 70 in VT | #14 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Hartford School District | Keene School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union SD #51 |
| High school in town | Hartford High School | Keene High School | None in town | Essex High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.6Lowest |
12.3Highest |
— | 11.7 |
| 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.