Compare towns
Hartford vs White River Junction vs Cambridge vs Williston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
White River Junction has the most renters (56.1% rent).
Cambridge has the most kids (23% under 18).
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 | White River Junction | Cambridge | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,736Highest |
3,364Lowest |
3,767 |
10,144 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.4% VT: +2.8% |
+10.8% VT: +2.8% |
+4.9%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+16.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 43.2±3.9 about the VT average |
33.7±3.2Lowest 22% below VT |
37.4±1.8 13% 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%±3 VT: 17.9% |
17.1%±5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
23%±4.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Cambridge 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% |
12.5%±3.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
14.4%±3.5 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% VT: 43.8% |
38.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
50.7% VT: 43.8% |
54.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.7 VT: 7% |
1.2%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
1.9%±1.2 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±$7k 4% below VT |
$77,168±$4k 5% below VT |
$72,344±$19kLowest 11% below VT |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $304,500±$26k 4% below VT |
$278,800±$78kLowest 12% below VT |
$343,000±$38k 8% above VT |
$475,800±$40kHighest 50% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,218±$118 about the VT average |
$1,222±$216 about the VT average |
$1,183±$66Lowest 4% below VT |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,773Highest 15% above VT |
$5,651 12% above VT |
$4,910Lowest about the VT average |
$5,592 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.6%±12.7 VT: 48.4% |
42.9%±17.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
66.6%±7.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4 VT: 48.4% |
| Cambridge and Williston 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% |
12.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
6.7% VT: 10.1% |
4.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.8% VT: 73.2% |
43.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
70.3% VT: 73.2% |
75.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
1963Lowest 13 yrs older than VT |
1985 9 yrs newer than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 min 22% below VT |
15 minLowest 35% below VT |
32 minHighest 38% above VT |
20 min 16% below VT |
| Work from home | 13.9%±3.5 VT: 16.9% |
15.7%±5.8 VT: 16.9% |
9.9%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Williston and White River Junction 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 | — | #25 of 70 in VT | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Hartford School District | — | Cambridge 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 | 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.