Compare towns
Middlesex vs Stowe vs Williston vs Calais
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 people working from home (28.4%).
Stowe has the most expensive homes ($648k median).
Williston has the most renters (24.9% rent).
Calais has the youngest population (median age 42).
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 | Stowe | Williston | Calais |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,943 |
5,285 |
10,144Highest |
1,713Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+21.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+16.2% VT: +2.8% |
+3.4% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.4±3.9 3% above VT |
46.3±7.6Highest 7% above VT |
45.4±4.5 5% above VT |
42±8.6Lowest about the VT average |
| Stowe and Williston 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% |
22.5%±4.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±5.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
22.5%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.7Lowest VT: 21.4% |
25.8%±6.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
21%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
21.6%±5.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Stowe and Calais 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% |
66.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
54.9% VT: 43.8% |
55.4% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±2.6 VT: 7% |
1.6%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7 VT: 7% |
7.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
| Calais and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $109,632±$13kHighest 35% above VT |
$93,618±$33kLowest 15% above VT |
$106,967±$12k 32% above VT |
$100,625±$27k 24% above VT |
| Middlesex and Williston 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 |
$647,800±$157kHighest 105% above VT |
$475,800±$40k 50% above VT |
$390,300±$36k 23% above VT |
| Stowe and Williston 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 |
$1,458±$242 18% above VT |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
$1,408±$392 14% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,483 29% above VT |
$7,161Highest 42% above VT |
$5,592Lowest 11% above VT |
$6,586 31% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
24.5%±15.9 VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4 VT: 48.4% |
49%±38.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Calais and Williston 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% |
9.9%Highest VT: 10.1% |
4.3% VT: 10.1% |
8.8% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
78.6% VT: 73.2% |
75.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.4% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 10 yrs newer than VT |
1982 6 yrs newer than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
1976Lowest same as VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 17% above VT |
19 minLowest 18% below VT |
20 min 16% below VT |
31 minHighest 32% above VT |
| Work from home | 28.4%±10.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
24.4%±8.9 VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
23.4%±7.1 VT: 16.9% |
| Middlesex and Stowe 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 | — | — | #11 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Stowe Town School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | None in town | Stowe High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.3 |
— | — |
| 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.