Compare towns
Hartford vs Lyme vs Windham 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 people working from home (27.2%).
Windham has the highest household income ($190k).
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 | Windham | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,736 |
1,710Lowest |
16,038Highest |
10,144 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.2±3.9 11% above U.S. |
48.6±7.8Highest 25% above U.S. |
41.1±2.9Lowest 6% 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% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Windham 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% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest 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% |
62.7% 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% |
3.8%±1.8 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±$15k 66% above U.S. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
$106,967±$12k 32% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $304,500±$26kLowest 8% below U.S. |
$645,000±$64k 94% above U.S. |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$475,800±$40k 43% above U.S. |
| Windham and Lyme 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. |
$1,418±$130 about the U.S. average |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$1,832±$130 30% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,773 85% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% 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% |
52.2%±50.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lyme and Windham 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% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest 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. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1993 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
21 min 21% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
20 min 25% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.9%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27.2%±5.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lyme 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 | — | #13 of 120 in NH | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Hartford School District | Lyme School District | Windham School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| High school in town | Hartford High School | None in town | Windham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.6Lowest |
— | 12.8Highest |
— |
| 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.