What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hyde Park has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.2%).

Shaftsbury has the most expensive homes ($267k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Hyde Park	Shaftsbury
People
Population	3,000Lowest	3,607Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.2%Highest VT: +2.8%	+0.2%Lowest VT: +2.8%
Median age	41.6±3.9Lowest 3% below VT	43±6.6Highest about the VT average
	Shaftsbury and Hyde Park are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9%	26.5%±6.3Highest VT: 17.9%
	Shaftsbury and Hyde Park are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	18.7%±4.1Lowest VT: 21.4%	21.8%±4.8Highest VT: 21.4%
	Shaftsbury and Hyde Park are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	34.6%Lowest VT: 43.8%	40.9%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.8%±3.4Highest VT: 7%	2.1%±2.1Lowest VT: 7%
	Hyde Park and Shaftsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$84,375±$9kLowest 4% above VT	$86,071±$24kHighest 6% above VT
	Shaftsbury and Hyde Park are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$198,400±$39kLowest 37% below VT	$267,300±$24kHighest 16% below VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,007±$340Lowest 18% below VT	$1,079±$54Highest 13% below VT
	Shaftsbury and Hyde Park are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,883Lowest 23% below VT	$4,015Highest 20% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	38.8%±14.6Lowest VT: 48.4%	52.7%±36Highest VT: 48.4%
	Shaftsbury and Hyde Park are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.9%Lowest VT: 10.1%	9.6%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	84.3%Highest VT: 73.2%	82.3%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT	1977Lowest 1 yr newer than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minHighest 12% above VT	25 minLowest 5% above VT
Work from home	8.2%±3.8Highest VT: 16.9%	7.2%±5.3Lowest VT: 16.9%
	Hyde Park and Shaftsbury 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	#59 of 70 in VT	#62 of 70 in VT
School district	Lamoille North Modified Union School District #058B · Lamoille North Modified Union School District #058A	Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87
High school in town	Lamoille Union High School	None in town
Students per teacherat that high school	10.0	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.