Compare towns
Hartford vs White River Junction vs Woodstock 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).
Woodstock has the most people working from home (32.8%).
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 | Woodstock | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,736Highest |
3,364 |
3,027Lowest |
10,144 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.4% VT: +2.8% |
+10.8% VT: +2.8% |
-1.4%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 |
56±3.6Highest 30% above VT |
45.4±4.5 5% above VT |
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3 VT: 17.9% |
17.1%±5 VT: 17.9% |
15.6%±4.6Lowest 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% |
12.5%±3.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
32.7%±5.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
21%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.6% VT: 43.8% |
38.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
52.9% VT: 43.8% |
54.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.7 VT: 7% |
1.2%±1.1 VT: 7% |
0.6%±0.6Lowest 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±$4kLowest 5% below VT |
$120,938±$29kHighest 49% above VT |
$106,967±$12k 32% above VT |
| Woodstock 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±$26k 4% below VT |
$278,800±$78kLowest 12% below VT |
$582,000±$84kHighest 84% above VT |
$475,800±$40k 50% above VT |
| Woodstock and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,218±$118Lowest about the VT average |
$1,222±$216 about the VT average |
$1,430±$346 16% above VT |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
| Williston and Woodstock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,773 15% above VT |
$5,651 12% above VT |
$9,449Highest 88% above VT |
$5,592Lowest 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.6%±12.7 VT: 48.4% |
42.9%±17.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
44.7%±17.3 VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Williston and Woodstock 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% |
8.9% VT: 10.1% |
4.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.8% VT: 73.2% |
43.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
69.4% VT: 73.2% |
75.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
1963 13 yrs older than VT |
1958Lowest 18 yrs older than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 min 22% below VT |
15 minLowest 35% below VT |
22 minHighest 7% below VT |
20 min 16% below VT |
| Work from home | 13.9%±3.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
15.7%±5.8 VT: 16.9% |
32.8%±12.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Woodstock 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 | — | #10 of 70 in VT | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Hartford School District | — | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| High school in town | Hartford High School | — | Woodstock Union Middle/High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.6Lowest |
— | 11.5Highest |
— |
| 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.