Compare towns
Norwich vs Amherst vs Bow 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
Norwich has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Amherst has the most people working from home (32.4%).
Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
Waitsfield has the most affordable homes ($422k 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 | Norwich | Amherst | Bow | Waitsfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,640 |
11,861Highest |
8,335 |
1,918Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.8±3.2Lowest 5% above U.S. |
45.9±3.5Highest 18% above U.S. |
41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
44.3±5.3 14% above U.S. |
| Amherst and Waitsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 24%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
22.4%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
23.8%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Norwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.2%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
28.2%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Waitsfield and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 81%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
65.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Norwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $140,313±$12k 74% above U.S. |
$153,196±$10k 90% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$84,375±$34kLowest 5% above U.S. |
| Bow and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $637,500±$76kHighest 92% above U.S. |
$537,600±$30k 62% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$422,400±$92kLowest 27% above U.S. |
| Norwich and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,460±$322 3% above U.S. |
$1,462±$256 3% above U.S. |
$1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$1,200±$821Lowest 15% below U.S. |
| Bow and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$9,773 213% above U.S. |
$9,584 207% above U.S. |
$6,208Lowest 99% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.7%±19.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.4%±9 U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
47.4%±30.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Waitsfield and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978Lowest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 28% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
25 min 5% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 21%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±5.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±6.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Amherst and Bow 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 | #1 of 70 in VT | #20 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Norwich School District | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District | Bow School District | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 |
| High school in town | None in town | Souhegan Coop High School | Bow High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4Lowest |
12.8Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.