Compare towns
Highgate vs Sheldon vs Williston vs Windham
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 oldest housing (typical home built 1980).
Sheldon has the most kids (23.7% under 18).
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 | Highgate | Sheldon | Williston | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,528 |
2,267 |
10,144Highest |
594Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.8% VT: +2.8% |
-2.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+16.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 44±7.4 about the VT average |
40.9±3.5Lowest 5% below VT |
45.4±4.5Highest 5% above VT |
44.2±7.4 about the VT average |
| Williston and Windham 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% |
20.5%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9 VT: 17.9% |
| Sheldon and Williston 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% |
21%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Windham 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% |
54.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±2.1 VT: 7% |
2%±1.3 VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7Highest VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Williston 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 |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above VT |
$94,500±$12k 16% above VT |
| Williston and Windham 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 |
$475,800±$40kHighest 50% above VT |
$353,900±$20k 12% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $895±$691Lowest 27% below VT |
$1,286±$379 4% above VT |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,558Lowest 29% below VT |
$3,578 29% below VT |
$5,592 11% above VT |
$5,951Highest 18% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.5%±11.3 VT: 48.4% |
0%±27Lowest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
| Williston and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.1% VT: 10.1% |
5.1% VT: 10.1% |
4.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.9%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.7% VT: 73.2% |
89%Highest VT: 73.2% |
75.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
82.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Lowest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1984 8 yrs newer than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
1982 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 32% above VT |
25 min 7% above VT |
20 minLowest 16% below VT |
27 min 14% above VT |
| Work from home | 14.9%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
13%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Williston and Windham 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 | — | #11 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Missisquoi Valley School District #89 | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | — |
| 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 | 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.