Compare towns
Richmond vs Waterbury vs Stowe 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 affordable homes ($432k median).
Waterbury has the most people working from home (28.3%).
Stowe has the most expensive homes ($648k 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 | Richmond | Waterbury | Stowe | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,159Lowest |
5,405 |
5,285 |
10,144Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+5.3% VT: +2.8% |
+21.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+16.2% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 43.7±5.6 about the VT average |
43.2±3.7Lowest about the VT average |
46.3±7.6Highest 7% above VT |
45.4±4.5 5% above VT |
| Stowe and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.5%±5 VT: 17.9% |
21.9%±4.9 VT: 17.9% |
22.5%±4.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±5.2Lowest 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% |
19.8%±4.4 VT: 21.4% |
25.8%±6.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
21%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
| Stowe and Williston 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% |
54.2%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
66.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
54.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.7 VT: 7% |
3.4%±2.8 VT: 7% |
1.6%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7Highest VT: 7% |
| Williston and Waterbury 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 |
$103,917±$23k 28% above VT |
$93,618±$33kLowest 15% 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 |
$447,200±$40k 41% above VT |
$647,800±$157kHighest 105% above VT |
$475,800±$40k 50% above VT |
| Stowe and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,027±$535Lowest 17% below VT |
$1,458±$242 18% above VT |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,868 36% above VT |
$6,435 28% above VT |
$7,161Highest 42% above VT |
$5,592Lowest 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 28.5%±15.8 VT: 48.4% |
46.8%±21.7 VT: 48.4% |
24.5%±15.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Williston and Waterbury 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% |
7.9% VT: 10.1% |
9.9%Highest VT: 10.1% |
4.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
70.6%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
78.6% VT: 73.2% |
75.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 7 yrs newer than VT |
1983 7 yrs newer than VT |
1982Lowest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 6% above VT |
30 minHighest 28% above VT |
19 minLowest 18% below VT |
20 min 16% below VT |
| Work from home | 22.5%±6.1 VT: 16.9% |
28.3%±6.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
24.4%±8.9 VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Waterbury and Stowe 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 | — | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Mount Mansfield Unified Union School District #401 | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 | Stowe Town School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Stowe High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.3 |
— |
| 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.