Compare towns
Middlesex vs Shelburne vs Stowe vs Williston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middlesex has the most homeowners (96.7%).
Shelburne has the most people working from home (31.4%).
Stowe has grown the fastest since 2010 (+21.1%).
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 | Middlesex | Shelburne | Stowe | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,943Lowest |
7,969 |
5,285 |
10,144Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+8% VT: +2.8% |
+21.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+16.2% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.4±3.9Lowest 3% above VT |
50.9±3.2Highest 18% above VT |
46.3±7.6 7% above VT |
45.4±4.5 5% above VT |
| Shelburne and Stowe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±3.1 VT: 17.9% |
20.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
22.5%±4.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Stowe and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.7Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.2%±4.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
25.8%±6.2 VT: 21.4% |
21%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
| Shelburne and Stowe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
70.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
66.7% VT: 43.8% |
54.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±2.6 VT: 7% |
4.7%±2.9 VT: 7% |
1.6%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7Highest VT: 7% |
| Williston and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $109,632±$13k 35% above VT |
$115,963±$16kHighest 43% above VT |
$93,618±$33kLowest 15% above VT |
$106,967±$12k 32% above VT |
| Shelburne and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $376,300±$40kLowest 19% above VT |
$588,100±$44k 86% above VT |
$647,800±$157kHighest 105% above VT |
$475,800±$40k 50% above VT |
| Stowe and Shelburne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,333±$359Lowest 8% above VT |
$1,442±$589 17% above VT |
$1,458±$242 18% above VT |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,483 29% above VT |
$8,173Highest 62% above VT |
$7,161 42% above VT |
$5,592Lowest 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
43.7%±10.6 VT: 48.4% |
24.5%±15.9 VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Williston and Shelburne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.4% VT: 10.1% |
9.9%Highest VT: 10.1% |
4.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
69.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
78.6% VT: 73.2% |
75.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 10 yrs newer than VT |
1986 10 yrs newer than VT |
1982Lowest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 17% above VT |
20 min 14% below VT |
19 minLowest 18% below VT |
20 min 16% below VT |
| Work from home | 28.4%±10.7 VT: 16.9% |
31.4%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
24.4%±8.9 VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Shelburne and Middlesex 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 | — | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Stowe Town School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Stowe High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.3 |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 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.