Compare towns
Hartford vs Salisbury 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 most renters (32.2% rent).
Salisbury has the most homeowners (88.7%).
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 |
1,200Lowest |
10,144 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+7.5% VT: +2.8% |
+16.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 43.2±3.9Lowest about the VT average |
50.6±6.5Highest 17% above VT |
45.4±4.5 5% above VT |
| Salisbury 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% |
16.6%±3.2Lowest 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% |
30.4%±2.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
21%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.6% VT: 43.8% |
34.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
54.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.7 VT: 7% |
1.6%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7Highest VT: 7% |
| 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 4% below VT |
$99,688±$21k 23% above VT |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above VT |
| Williston and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $304,500±$26kLowest 4% below VT |
$306,900±$51k 3% below VT |
$475,800±$40kHighest 50% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,218±$118Lowest about the VT average |
$1,443±$984 17% above VT |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
| Williston and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,773Highest 15% above VT |
$4,842Lowest 4% below VT |
$5,592 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.6%±12.7 VT: 48.4% |
31.9%±22.6Lowest 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%Highest VT: 10.1% |
4.6% VT: 10.1% |
4.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
75.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 22% below VT |
19 min 20% below VT |
20 minHighest 16% below VT |
| Work from home | 13.9%±3.5 VT: 16.9% |
6%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Williston and Hartford 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 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | 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 |
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.