Compare towns
Middlesex vs Windham vs Williston vs Calais
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
Windham has the highest household income ($190k).
Williston has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Calais has the oldest housing (typical home built 1976).
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 | Windham | Williston | Calais |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,943 |
16,038Highest |
10,144 |
1,713Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.4±3.9 14% above U.S. |
41.1±2.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
42±8.6 8% above U.S. |
| Williston and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.5%±5.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Calais and Williston 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
55.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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±$13k 36% above U.S. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
$106,967±$12k 32% above U.S. |
$100,625±$27kLowest 25% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $376,300±$40kLowest 13% above U.S. |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$475,800±$40k 43% above U.S. |
$390,300±$36k 17% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,333±$359Lowest 6% below U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$1,832±$130 30% above U.S. |
$1,408±$392 about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,483 108% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$5,592Lowest 79% above U.S. |
$6,586 111% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
49%±38.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windham and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1993 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 4% above U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 18% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.4%±7.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlesex and Calais 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 | — | #13 of 120 in NH | #11 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Windham School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | None in town | Windham High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.