Compare towns
Richmond vs Waterbury vs Stowe
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 highest household income ($108k).
Waterbury has the most renters (58.2% rent).
Stowe has grown the fastest since 2010 (+21.1%).
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 | Waterbury | Stowe |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,159 |
1,753Lowest |
5,285Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+7.6% VT: +2.8% |
+21.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 43.7±5.6 about the VT average |
39.6±4.3Lowest 8% below VT |
46.3±7.6Highest 7% above VT |
| Stowe and Richmond are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.5%±5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
22.2%±7.7 VT: 17.9% |
22.5%±4.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Stowe and Waterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±6.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
20.4%±6.5 VT: 21.4% |
25.8%±6.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Stowe and Waterbury 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% |
52.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
66.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.7Highest VT: 7% |
0%±0.8Lowest VT: 7% |
1.6%±1.6 VT: 7% |
| Richmond and Stowe 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 |
$54,273±$13kLowest 33% below VT |
$93,618±$33k 15% above VT |
| Richmond and Stowe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $432,200±$39k 37% above VT |
$375,400±$57kLowest 19% above VT |
$647,800±$157kHighest 105% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $866±$497Lowest 30% below VT |
$1,458±$242Highest 18% above VT |
| Stowe and Waterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,868 36% above VT |
$5,446Lowest 8% above VT |
$7,161Highest 42% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 28.5%±15.8 VT: 48.4% |
36.3%±21.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
24.5%±15.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Waterbury and Richmond 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% |
13.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
9.9% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
41.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
78.6% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
1964Lowest 12 yrs older than VT |
1982 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 6% above VT |
26 minHighest 9% above VT |
19 minLowest 18% below VT |
| Work from home | 22.5%±6.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
23%±9.9 VT: 16.9% |
24.4%±8.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Stowe and Waterbury 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 | #20 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Mount Mansfield Unified Union School District #401 | — | Stowe Town School District |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Stowe High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.3 |
| 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.