Compare towns
Hartford vs Lyme vs Waterbury 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).
Lyme has the most expensive homes ($645k median).
Waterbury has the most kids (21.9% under 18).
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 | Lyme | Waterbury | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,736Highest |
1,710Lowest |
5,405 |
10,144 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.2±3.9Lowest 11% above U.S. |
48.6±7.8Highest 25% above U.S. |
43.2±3.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5 17% above U.S. |
| Lyme 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% |
19.5%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
21.9%±4.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Waterbury and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.5%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.5%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lyme 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
70.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±2.8 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. |
$133,906±$15kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$103,917±$23k 29% above U.S. |
$106,967±$12k 32% above U.S. |
| Lyme and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $304,500±$26kLowest 8% below U.S. |
$645,000±$64kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$447,200±$40k 34% above U.S. |
$475,800±$40k 43% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,218±$118 14% below U.S. |
$1,418±$130 about the U.S. average |
$1,027±$535Lowest 27% below U.S. |
$1,832±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,773 85% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$6,435 106% above U.S. |
$5,592Lowest 79% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.6%±12.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±29.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.8%±21.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lyme 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% |
4.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
21 min 21% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
20 min 25% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.9%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27.2%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.3%±6.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Waterbury and Lyme 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 70 in VT | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Hartford School District | Lyme School District | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| High school in town | Hartford High School | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.6 |
— | — | — |
| 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.