Compare towns
Pittsfield vs Williston vs Hancock
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Pittsfield has the most affordable homes ($257k median).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
Hancock has the most homeowners (82.8%).
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 | Pittsfield | Williston | Hancock |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 43,457Highest |
10,144 |
752Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±2Lowest 9% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5 17% above U.S. |
47.1±11.1Highest 21% above U.S. |
| Hancock and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.6%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±4.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Williston and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.3%±5.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hancock and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Pittsfield and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,582±$5kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above U.S. |
$96,250±$26k 19% above U.S. |
| Williston and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $256,900±$8kLowest 23% below U.S. |
$475,800±$40kHighest 43% above U.S. |
$375,500±$21k 13% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,134±$61Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,832±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,268±$415 10% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,148 33% above U.S. |
$5,592Highest 79% above U.S. |
$1,018Lowest 67% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±5.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.1%±36.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Pittsfield and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 62.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950Lowest 30 yrs older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1989 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
20 min 25% below U.S. |
22 minHighest 17% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.2%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.4%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #251 of 282 in MA | #11 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Pittsfield | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Hancock |
| High school in town | Taconic High | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.3 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.