Compare towns
Hartford vs Waterbury vs Essex Junction 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 affordable homes ($305k median).
Waterbury has the most people working from home (28.3%).
Essex Junction has the most renters (40.7% rent).
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 | Waterbury | Essex Junction | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,736 |
5,405Lowest |
10,803Highest |
10,144 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.4% VT: +2.8% |
+5.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+14.2% VT: +2.8% |
+16.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 43.2±3.9 about the VT average |
43.2±3.7 about the VT average |
39.3±3.1Lowest 9% below VT |
45.4±4.5Highest 5% above VT |
| Williston and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21.9%±4.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
19.6%±3.2 VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Waterbury and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.5%±3.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.8%±4.4 VT: 21.4% |
14.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
| Hartford and Williston 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 VT: 43.8% |
54.2% VT: 43.8% |
52.4% VT: 43.8% |
54.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.7 VT: 7% |
3.4%±2.8Lowest VT: 7% |
6.7%±2.2Highest VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7 VT: 7% |
| Essex Junction 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 |
$103,917±$23k 28% above VT |
$89,257±$16k 10% above VT |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above VT |
| Williston and Waterbury 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 |
$447,200±$40k 41% above VT |
$407,500±$20k 29% above VT |
$475,800±$40kHighest 50% above VT |
| Williston and Waterbury 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 |
$1,027±$535Lowest 17% below VT |
$1,544±$135 25% above VT |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,773 15% above VT |
$6,435 28% above VT |
$6,797Highest 35% above VT |
$5,592Lowest 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.6%±12.7Lowest VT: 48.4% |
46.8%±21.7 VT: 48.4% |
61.3%±14.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4 VT: 48.4% |
| Essex Junction 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 VT: 10.1% |
7.9% VT: 10.1% |
9.5% VT: 10.1% |
4.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.8% VT: 73.2% |
70.6% VT: 73.2% |
59.3%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
75.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 3 yrs newer than VT |
1983 7 yrs newer than VT |
1983 7 yrs newer than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 22% below VT |
30 minHighest 28% above VT |
19 min 18% below VT |
20 min 16% below VT |
| Work from home | 13.9%±3.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
28.3%±6.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.9%±4 VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Waterbury 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 | #20 of 70 in VT | #14 of 70 in VT | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Hartford School District | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 | Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union SD #51 | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| High school in town | Hartford High School | None in town | Essex High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.6Lowest |
— | 11.7Highest |
— |
| 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.