Compare towns
Meredith vs Waterbury 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).
Waterbury has the most people working from home (28.3%).
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 | Waterbury | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,758 |
5,405Lowest |
10,144Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 55.5±3.7Highest 43% above U.S. |
43.2±3.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5 17% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 12.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.9%±4.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Waterbury and Williston 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% |
19.8%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Williston and Waterbury 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. |
$103,917±$23k 29% above U.S. |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above U.S. |
| Williston and Waterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $480,100±$48kHighest 44% above U.S. |
$447,200±$40kLowest 34% above U.S. |
$475,800±$40k 43% above U.S. |
| Meredith and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,149±$304 19% below U.S. |
$1,027±$535Lowest 27% below U.S. |
$1,832±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,006Lowest 61% above U.S. |
$6,435Highest 106% above U.S. |
$5,592 79% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.5%±9.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.8%±21.7Lowest 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% |
7.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.7%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.3%±6.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Waterbury 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 | #20 of 70 in VT | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 | 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.