Compare towns
Northfield vs Stratham vs Waitsfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Northfield has the most affordable homes ($274k median).
Stratham has the highest household income ($152k).
Waitsfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.3%).
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 | Stratham | Waitsfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,920 |
7,754Highest |
1,918Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.4±4.1Lowest 6% below U.S. |
41.6±4.9 7% above U.S. |
44.3±5.3Highest 14% above U.S. |
| Waitsfield and Stratham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.6%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.5%±5.3 U.S.: 22% |
23.8%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Waitsfield and Stratham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
28.2%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Waitsfield and Stratham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
69.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,768±$13kLowest 11% below U.S. |
$151,998±$20kHighest 88% above U.S. |
$84,375±$34k 5% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,400±$21kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$655,400±$36kHighest 97% above U.S. |
$422,400±$92k 27% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,018±$207Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$2,511±$377Highest 78% above U.S. |
$1,200±$821 15% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,878Lowest 56% above U.S. |
$9,781Highest 214% above U.S. |
$6,208 99% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.3%±17.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
64%±38.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.4%±30.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Stratham 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 3% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
25 minLowest 5% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.1%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.3%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±6.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Stratham and Waitsfield 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 | #43 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 |
| High school in town | Northfield Middle/High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.0 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.