Compare towns
Norwich vs Bow vs Waitsfield vs Shelburne
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 most expensive homes ($638k median).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Waitsfield has the most affordable homes ($422k median).
Shelburne has the most people working from home (31.4%).
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 | Bow | Waitsfield | Shelburne |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,640 |
8,335Highest |
1,918Lowest |
7,969 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.8±3.2Lowest 5% above U.S. |
41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
44.3±5.3 14% above U.S. |
50.9±3.2Highest 31% above U.S. |
| Shelburne 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% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
23.8%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
20.2%±3.9Lowest 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% |
17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
28.2%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.2%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Shelburne and Waitsfield 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% |
60.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
70.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±2.9 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. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$84,375±$34kLowest 5% above U.S. |
$115,963±$16k 44% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $637,500±$76kHighest 92% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$422,400±$92kLowest 27% above U.S. |
$588,100±$44k 77% above U.S. |
| Norwich and Shelburne 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. |
$1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$1,200±$821Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,442±$589 about the U.S. average |
| Bow and Norwich 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. |
$9,584 207% above U.S. |
$6,208Lowest 99% above U.S. |
$8,173 162% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.7%±19.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
47.4%±30.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±10.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Waitsfield and Shelburne 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% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980Lowest same as U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 28% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
25 min 5% below U.S. |
20 min 23% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 21%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±6.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
31.4%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Shelburne 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 | #26 of 120 in NH | — | #8 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Norwich School District | Bow School District | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| High school in town | None in town | Bow High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8 |
— | — |
| 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.