Compare towns
Highgate vs Pawlet vs Whitingham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Highgate has the highest household income ($81k).
Pawlet has the most people working from home (20.4%).
Whitingham has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1%).
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 | Highgate | Pawlet | Whitingham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,528Highest |
1,480 |
1,368Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.8% VT: +2.8% |
-3.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44±7.4Lowest about the VT average |
47.9±7.5Highest 11% above VT |
46.4±7.1 8% above VT |
| Pawlet and Whitingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.8%±5.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
20.3%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
19.8%±4.5 VT: 17.9% |
| Pawlet and Whitingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.2%±5.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
27.3%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
31.1%±2.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Whitingham and Pawlet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 19.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
37.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
32.8% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±2.1 VT: 7% |
4.4%±2.9Highest VT: 7% |
2.2%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
| Pawlet and Highgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,017±$14kHighest about the VT average |
$62,273±$14kLowest 23% below VT |
$70,625±$11k 13% below VT |
| Highgate and Whitingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $280,500±$21kHighest 11% below VT |
$266,200±$44k 16% below VT |
$262,300±$30kLowest 17% below VT |
| Highgate and Pawlet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $895±$691 27% below VT |
$1,153±$215Highest 7% below VT |
$673±$150Lowest 45% below VT |
| Pawlet and Highgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,558Lowest 29% below VT |
$3,924 22% below VT |
$5,055Highest about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.5%±11.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
42.6%±21.3 VT: 48.4% |
62.7%±47.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Whitingham and Pawlet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
10% VT: 10.1% |
15.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
87.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
85.2% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1964Lowest 12 yrs older than VT |
1974 2 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 32% above VT |
33 min 40% above VT |
38 minHighest 62% above VT |
| Work from home | 14.9%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
20.4%±8.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
9.7%±5.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Pawlet and Highgate 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 | #43 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | Missisquoi Valley School District #89 | Mettawee School District #84 | Twin Valley Unified School District #75 |
| High school in town | Missisquoi Valley Union High School | None in town | Twin Valley Middle High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Highest |
— | 7.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.