Compare towns
Meredith vs Shelburne vs Williston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Meredith has the oldest population (median age 55.5).
Shelburne has the most people working from home (31.4%).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
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 | Meredith | Shelburne | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,758Lowest |
7,969 |
10,144Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 55.5±3.7Highest 43% above U.S. |
50.9±3.2 31% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5Lowest 17% above U.S. |
| Meredith and Shelburne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.2%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Williston and Shelburne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 34.2%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.2%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Meredith and Shelburne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
70.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Williston and Shelburne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $87,019±$19kLowest 8% above U.S. |
$115,963±$16kHighest 44% above U.S. |
$106,967±$12k 32% above U.S. |
| Shelburne and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $480,100±$48k 44% above U.S. |
$588,100±$44kHighest 77% above U.S. |
$475,800±$40kLowest 43% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,149±$304Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,442±$589 about the U.S. average |
$1,832±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Williston and Shelburne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,006Lowest 61% above U.S. |
$8,173Highest 162% above U.S. |
$5,592 79% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.5%±9.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±10.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Meredith and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1986 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
20 min 23% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.7%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
31.4%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Shelburne and Meredith 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 | #62 of 120 in NH | #8 of 70 in VT | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| High school in town | Inter-Lakes High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1 |
— | — |
| 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.