Compare towns
Pomfret vs Sharon vs Williston vs Hartford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Pomfret has the most people working from home (30.3%).
Sharon has the most kids (21% under 18).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
Hartford has the most affordable homes ($305k 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 | Pomfret | Sharon | Williston | Hartford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 908Lowest |
1,577 |
10,144 |
10,736Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+3.9% VT: +2.8% |
+16.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+7.4% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 53.4±12.1Highest 24% above VT |
45.6±7.7 6% above VT |
45.4±4.5 5% above VT |
43.2±3.9Lowest about the VT average |
| Pomfret and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.4%±6Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21%±5Highest VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
18%±3 VT: 17.9% |
| Sharon and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29.5%±6.5Highest VT: 21.4% |
25.1%±3.6 VT: 21.4% |
21%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
22.5%±3.3 VT: 21.4% |
| Pomfret and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 58%Highest VT: 43.8% |
37.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
54.9% VT: 43.8% |
47.6% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±1.2Lowest VT: 7% |
1.5%±0.9 VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7Highest VT: 7% |
4.9%±1.7 VT: 7% |
| Williston and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $84,229±$8k 4% above VT |
$84,375±$17k 4% above VT |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above VT |
$78,125±$7kLowest 4% below VT |
| Williston and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $399,200±$144k 26% above VT |
$346,700±$37k 10% above VT |
$475,800±$40kHighest 50% above VT |
$304,500±$26kLowest 4% below VT |
| Williston and Pomfret are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,170±$98Lowest 5% below VT |
$1,386±$155 12% above VT |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
$1,218±$118 about the VT average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,722Highest 33% above VT |
$5,903 17% above VT |
$5,592Lowest 11% above VT |
$5,773 15% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 24%±22.4 VT: 48.4% |
19.8%±17.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±12.7 VT: 48.4% |
| Williston and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.8% VT: 10.1% |
3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
4.3% VT: 10.1% |
11.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79.7% VT: 73.2% |
75.1% VT: 73.2% |
67.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 6 yrs older than VT |
1981 5 yrs newer than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the VT average |
26 minHighest 12% above VT |
20 min 16% below VT |
18 minLowest 22% below VT |
| Work from home | 30.3%±10.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
12.7%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6 VT: 16.9% |
13.9%±3.5 VT: 16.9% |
| Pomfret and Williston 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 | — | — | #11 of 70 in VT | #34 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Sharon School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Hartford School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | Hartford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 9.6 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.