Compare towns
Hartford vs Salisbury 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).
Salisbury has the most homeowners (96.9%).
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 | Salisbury | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,736Highest |
1,609Lowest |
10,144 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.2±3.9Lowest 11% above U.S. |
51.5±4.5Highest 32% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5 17% above U.S. |
| Salisbury 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% |
20.1%±9.6 U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Williston and Salisbury 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% |
24.9%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Salisbury 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.1Lowest 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. |
$111,591±$17kHighest 38% above U.S. |
$106,967±$12k 32% above U.S. |
| Salisbury 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. |
$363,400±$47k 9% above U.S. |
$475,800±$40kHighest 43% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,218±$118Lowest 14% below U.S. |
$1,917±$632Highest 36% above U.S. |
$1,832±$130 30% above U.S. |
| Salisbury and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,773 85% above U.S. |
$5,859Highest 88% above U.S. |
$5,592Lowest 79% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.6%±12.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
96.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 21% above U.S. |
20 min 25% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.9%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.3%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Salisbury 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 | — | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Hartford School District | Merrimack Valley School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| High school in town | Hartford High School | 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 |
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.