Compare towns
Highgate vs Townsend vs Williamstown
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Highgate has the most people working from home (14.9%).
Townsend has the most expensive homes ($433k median).
Williamstown has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.7%).
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 | Townsend | Williamstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,528Lowest |
9,100Highest |
3,579 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44±7.4Highest 13% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
42±5 8% above U.S. |
| Highgate and Williamstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.8%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.9%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Townsend and Williamstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.2%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
17%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Highgate and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 19.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
17.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±3.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Townsend and Williamstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,017±$14kLowest about the U.S. average |
$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
$94,418±$10k 17% above U.S. |
| Townsend and Williamstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $280,500±$21k 16% below U.S. |
$433,200±$22kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$234,900±$24kLowest 29% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $895±$691Lowest 37% below U.S. |
$1,469±$313 4% above U.S. |
$1,659±$189Highest 17% above U.S. |
| Williamstown and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,558Lowest 14% above U.S. |
$6,031Highest 93% above U.S. |
$3,841 23% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.5%±11.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
83.7%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Williamstown and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 17% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 12% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.9%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.9%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Highgate and Williamstown 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 | #136 of 282 in MA | #47 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Missisquoi Valley School District #89 | North Middlesex | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 |
| High school in town | Missisquoi Valley Union High School | North Middlesex Regional | Williamstown Middle/High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8 |
13.1Highest |
9.5Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.