Compare towns
Richmond vs South Burlington vs Williston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Richmond has the most homeowners (78.8%).
South Burlington has the most renters (38.4% rent).
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 | Richmond | South Burlington | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,159Lowest |
20,756Highest |
10,144 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+13.3% VT: +2.8% |
+16.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 43.7±5.6 about the VT average |
38.2±1.8Lowest 11% below VT |
45.4±4.5Highest 5% above VT |
| Williston and Richmond are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.5%±5Highest VT: 17.9% |
19%±2.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Richmond and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±6.3 VT: 21.4% |
17.8%±2.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21%±3.5Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Williston and Richmond are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.1% VT: 43.8% |
67.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
54.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.7Lowest VT: 7% |
6.5%±2Highest VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7 VT: 7% |
| South Burlington and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $108,235±$24kHighest 33% above VT |
$106,667±$13kLowest 31% above VT |
$106,967±$12k 32% above VT |
| Richmond and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $432,200±$39kLowest 37% above VT |
$443,400±$19k 40% above VT |
$475,800±$40kHighest 50% above VT |
| Williston and South Burlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,787±$59Lowest 45% above VT |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
| Williston and South Burlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$6,674 32% above VT |
$5,592Lowest 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 28.5%±15.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
42.9%±7.6 VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Williston and South Burlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
7.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
4.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
61.6%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
75.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Lowest 7 yrs newer than VT |
1989 13 yrs newer than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest 6% above VT |
18 minLowest 25% below VT |
20 min 16% below VT |
| Work from home | 22.5%±6.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
19.6%±3.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Richmond 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 | #5 of 70 in VT | #12 of 70 in VT | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Mount Mansfield Unified Union School District #401 | South Burlington School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| High school in town | None in town | South Burlington High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.0 |
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| 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.