Compare towns
Putney vs Waterbury vs Williston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Putney has the most affordable homes ($300k median).
Waterbury has the most people working from home (28.3%).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
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 | Putney | Waterbury | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,622Lowest |
5,405 |
10,144Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+5.3% VT: +2.8% |
+16.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below VT |
43.2±3.7 about the VT average |
45.4±4.5Highest 5% above VT |
| Williston and Waterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.4%±4.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21.9%±4.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Waterbury and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.1%±3.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
19.8%±4.4 VT: 21.4% |
21%±3.5Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Williston and Waterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
54.2% VT: 43.8% |
54.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
3.4%±2.8Lowest VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,706±$18kLowest about the VT average |
$103,917±$23k 28% above VT |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above VT |
| Williston and Waterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $300,000±$44kLowest 5% below VT |
$447,200±$40k 41% above VT |
$475,800±$40kHighest 50% above VT |
| Williston and Waterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $508±$482Lowest 59% below VT |
$1,027±$535 17% below VT |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,313Lowest 5% above VT |
$6,435Highest 28% above VT |
$5,592 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±19.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
46.8%±21.7Lowest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4 VT: 48.4% |
| Putney and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7.9% VT: 10.1% |
4.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.8% VT: 73.2% |
70.6%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
75.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 1 yr newer than VT |
1983 7 yrs newer than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 24% below VT |
30 minHighest 28% above VT |
20 min 16% below VT |
| Work from home | 16.9%±6.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
28.3%±6.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Waterbury 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 | #32 of 70 in VT | #20 of 70 in VT | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.