Compare towns
Northfield vs Barnard vs Williamstown
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Northfield has the most renters (26.5% rent).
Barnard has the most expensive homes ($403k median).
Williamstown has the shortest commute (23 min average).
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 | Northfield | Barnard | Williamstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,920Highest |
1,211Lowest |
3,579 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+4.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+3.7% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 36.4±4.1Lowest 16% below VT |
42.4±6Highest about the VT average |
42±5 about the VT average |
| Barnard and Williamstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.6%±3.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
26.9%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
19.9%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Barnard and Williamstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20%±3.8 VT: 21.4% |
22%±3.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
17%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Barnard and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.6% VT: 43.8% |
55.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
17.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15.1%±2.1Highest VT: 7% |
2.4%±1.8Lowest VT: 7% |
4.8%±3.2 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,768±$13kLowest 12% below VT |
$97,581±$19kHighest 20% above VT |
$94,418±$10k 16% above VT |
| Barnard and Williamstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,400±$21k 13% below VT |
$402,600±$71kHighest 27% above VT |
$234,900±$24kLowest 26% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,018±$207Lowest 18% below VT |
$1,372±$80 11% above VT |
$1,659±$189Highest 34% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,878 3% below VT |
$6,038Highest 20% above VT |
$3,841Lowest 24% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.3%±17.7 VT: 48.4% |
27%±19.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
83.7%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Williamstown and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
2.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
85.4% VT: 73.2% |
90.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 20 yrs older than VT |
1971 5 yrs older than VT |
1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 16% above VT |
29 minHighest 21% above VT |
23 minLowest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 12.1%±4.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
19.3%±10.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
13.9%±6.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Barnard and Williamstown 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 | #42 of 70 in VT | — | #47 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 |
| High school in town | Northfield Middle/High School | None in town | Williamstown Middle/High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.0Highest |
— | 9.5Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.