Compare towns
Highgate vs Sheldon vs West Windsor
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 most renters (19.3% rent).
Sheldon has the most kids (23.7% under 18).
West Windsor has grown the fastest since 2010 (+22.3%).
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 | Sheldon | West Windsor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,528Highest |
2,267 |
1,171Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.8% VT: +2.8% |
-2.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+22.3%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44±7.4 about the VT average |
40.9±3.5Lowest 5% below VT |
54±5.9Highest 25% above VT |
| West Windsor and Highgate 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% |
23.7%±3.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
19.8%±10 VT: 17.9% |
| Sheldon and West Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.2%±5.2 VT: 21.4% |
12.6%±2.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
25.5%±6.7Highest VT: 21.4% |
| West Windsor and Highgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 19.5% VT: 43.8% |
14.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
59.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±2.1 VT: 7% |
2%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
6.1%±3.6Highest VT: 7% |
| West Windsor 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±$14k about the VT average |
$78,533±$25kLowest 3% below VT |
$108,750±$18kHighest 34% above VT |
| West Windsor and Highgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $280,500±$21k 11% below VT |
$272,400±$61kLowest 14% below VT |
$393,500±$41kHighest 24% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $895±$691Lowest 27% below VT |
$1,286±$379Highest 4% above VT |
$1,100±$217 11% below VT |
| Sheldon and West Windsor 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 |
$3,578 29% below VT |
$5,860Highest 16% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.5%±11.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
0%±27Lowest VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Highgate and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.1% VT: 10.1% |
3.7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
89% VT: 73.2% |
97.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Lowest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1980Lowest 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 32% above VT |
25 minLowest 7% above VT |
28 min 20% above VT |
| Work from home | 14.9%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
13%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.1%±3.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
| West Windsor 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 | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 | Mount Ascutney School District #86 |
| High school in town | Missisquoi Valley Union High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8 |
— | — |
| 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.