Compare towns
Hartford vs Wilder vs Waterbury 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 oldest housing (typical home built 1979).
Wilder has grown the fastest since 2010 (+81.7%).
Waterbury has the most people working from home (28.3%).
Williston has the most expensive homes ($476k median).
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 | Wilder | Waterbury | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,736Highest |
3,087Lowest |
5,405 |
10,144 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.4% VT: +2.8% |
+81.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+5.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+16.2% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 43.2±3.9Lowest about the VT average |
45.5±8.9Highest 6% above VT |
43.2±3.7Lowest about the VT average |
45.4±4.5 5% above VT |
| Wilder 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% |
11.8%±4.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21.9%±4.9Highest 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%±3.3 VT: 21.4% |
27.3%±4.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.8%±4.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
| Wilder 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%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
60.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
54.2% VT: 43.8% |
54.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.7 VT: 7% |
8.1%±3.9Highest VT: 7% |
3.4%±2.8Lowest VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7 VT: 7% |
| Wilder 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±$7k 4% below VT |
$75,143±$9kLowest 7% below VT |
$103,917±$23k 28% 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±$26k 4% below VT |
$273,200±$18kLowest 14% below VT |
$447,200±$40k 41% 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 |
$1,142±$451 7% below VT |
$1,027±$535Lowest 17% below VT |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,773 15% above VT |
$5,505Lowest 9% above VT |
$6,435Highest 28% above VT |
$5,592 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.6%±12.7 VT: 48.4% |
39.9%±17.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
46.8%±21.7 VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Williston and Waterbury 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% |
9.3% VT: 10.1% |
7.9% VT: 10.1% |
4.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.8% VT: 73.2% |
62.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
70.6% 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 min 22% below VT |
17 minLowest 29% below VT |
30 minHighest 28% above VT |
20 min 16% below VT |
| Work from home | 13.9%±3.5 VT: 16.9% |
12.6%±6.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
28.3%±6.8Highest 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 | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Hartford School District | — | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 | 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.