Compare towns
Lyme vs Shelburne vs Waitsfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lyme has the highest household income ($134k).
Shelburne has the most people working from home (31.4%).
Waitsfield has the most affordable homes ($422k 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 | Lyme | Shelburne | Waitsfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,710Lowest |
7,969Highest |
1,918 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.6±7.8 25% above U.S. |
50.9±3.2Highest 31% above U.S. |
44.3±5.3Lowest 14% above U.S. |
| Shelburne and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.5%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.2%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
23.8%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Waitsfield and Shelburne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.2%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
28.2%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Shelburne and Waitsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 70.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
70.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Shelburne and Waitsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $133,906±$15kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$115,963±$16k 44% above U.S. |
$84,375±$34kLowest 5% above U.S. |
| Lyme and Shelburne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $645,000±$64kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$588,100±$44k 77% above U.S. |
$422,400±$92kLowest 27% above U.S. |
| Lyme and Shelburne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,418±$130 about the U.S. average |
$1,442±$589Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,200±$821Lowest 15% below U.S. |
| Shelburne and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$8,173 162% above U.S. |
$6,208Lowest 99% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±29.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±10.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.4%±30.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lyme and Waitsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 21% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 23% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 5% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 27.2%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
31.4%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±6.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Shelburne and Lyme 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 | — | #8 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Lyme School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.