Compare towns
Hartford vs Royalton vs Pomfret 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 shortest commute (18 min average).
Royalton has the most affordable homes ($263k median).
Pomfret has the most people working from home (30.3%).
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 | Royalton | Pomfret | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,736Highest |
2,752 |
908Lowest |
10,144 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.4% VT: +2.8% |
-0.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.3% VT: +2.8% |
+16.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 43.2±3.9Lowest about the VT average |
43.9±10.1 about the VT average |
53.4±12.1Highest 24% above VT |
45.4±4.5 5% above VT |
| Pomfret 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% |
14.4%±5.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
15.4%±6 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% |
22.1%±6.4 VT: 21.4% |
29.5%±6.5Highest VT: 21.4% |
21%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Pomfret 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% |
42.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
58%Highest VT: 43.8% |
54.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.7 VT: 7% |
8%±4.2Highest VT: 7% |
1.4%±1.2Lowest VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7 VT: 7% |
| Royalton and Williston 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 4% below VT |
$103,938±$24k 28% above VT |
$84,229±$8k 4% above VT |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above VT |
| Williston and Royalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $304,500±$26k 4% below VT |
$263,200±$73kLowest 17% below VT |
$399,200±$144k 26% above VT |
$475,800±$40kHighest 50% above VT |
| Williston and Pomfret are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,218±$118 about the VT average |
$1,040±$391Lowest 16% below VT |
$1,170±$98 5% below VT |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,773 15% above VT |
$4,675Lowest 7% below VT |
$6,722Highest 33% above VT |
$5,592 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.6%±12.7 VT: 48.4% |
36.7%±16.1 VT: 48.4% |
24%±22.4Lowest 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% VT: 10.1% |
13%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.8% VT: 10.1% |
4.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.8% VT: 73.2% |
63.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
81.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
75.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
1965Lowest 11 yrs older than VT |
1970 6 yrs older than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 22% below VT |
20 min 13% below VT |
24 minHighest about the VT average |
20 min 16% below VT |
| Work from home | 13.9%±3.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.8%±7.3 VT: 16.9% |
30.3%±10.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Pomfret 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 | #48 of 70 in VT | — | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Hartford School District | White River Unified School District #79 | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| High school in town | Hartford High School | White River Valley High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.6Highest |
8.7Lowest |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.