Compare towns
Newcomb vs Sheldon vs Williamstown vs Minerva
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Newcomb has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Sheldon has the most kids (23.7% under 18).
Williamstown has the most people working from home (13.9%).
Minerva has the most affordable homes ($172k median).
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 | Newcomb | Sheldon | Williamstown | Minerva |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 490Lowest |
2,267 |
3,579Highest |
836 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -2.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 59.1±10.1Highest 52% above U.S. |
40.9±3.5Lowest 5% above U.S. |
42±5 8% above U.S. |
56.2±5.7 44% above U.S. |
| Newcomb and Minerva are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 9.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.7%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.9%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
10.3%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Sheldon and Williamstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 31.4%±6.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
12.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17%±3.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
35.8%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Minerva and Newcomb are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
14.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
17.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.3%±5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±3.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $108,750±$25kHighest 35% above U.S. |
$78,533±$25k about the U.S. average |
$94,418±$10k 17% above U.S. |
$67,303±$9kLowest 17% below U.S. |
| Newcomb and Williamstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $254,800±$47k 23% below U.S. |
$272,400±$61kHighest 18% below U.S. |
$234,900±$24k 29% below U.S. |
$171,800±$22kLowest 48% below U.S. |
| Sheldon and Newcomb are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,286±$379 9% below U.S. |
$1,659±$189Highest 17% above U.S. |
$784±$102Lowest 45% below U.S. |
| Williamstown and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,488Lowest 52% below U.S. |
$3,578 15% above U.S. |
$3,841Highest 23% above U.S. |
$2,608 16% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±27Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
83.7%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
25.7%±74.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Williamstown and Minerva are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
89% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
88%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Lowest 16 yrs older than U.S. |
1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
25 min 5% below U.S. |
23 min 12% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.2%±7.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.9%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.6%±7.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Williamstown and Sheldon 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 | — | — | #47 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Williamstown Middle/High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.5 |
— |
| 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.