Compare towns

Richmond vs Waterbury vs Windham vs Williston

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..

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%).
Windham has the highest household income ($190k).
Williston has the shortest commute (20 min average).

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.

MeasureRichmondWaterburyWindhamWilliston
People
Population
4,159Lowest
5,405
16,038Highest
10,144
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+2.1%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+5.3%
U.S.: +7.4%
+16.4%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+16.2%
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
43.7±5.6
12% above U.S.
43.2±3.7
11% above U.S.
41.1±2.9Lowest
6% above U.S.
45.4±4.5Highest
17% above U.S.
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%±5
U.S.: 22%
21.9%±4.9
U.S.: 22%
27.4%±3.3Highest
U.S.: 22%
20.5%±5.2Lowest
U.S.: 22%
Windham and Waterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
19.5%±6.3
U.S.: 17.2%
19.8%±4.4
U.S.: 17.2%
15.5%±2.6Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
21%±3.5Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
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+
59.1%
U.S.: 35.7%
54.2%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
62.7%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
54.9%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
2.8%±1.7Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
3.4%±2.8
U.S.: 6.4%
3.8%±1.8
U.S.: 6.4%
5.7%±2.7Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
Williston and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$108,235±$24k
34% above U.S.
$103,917±$23kLowest
29% above U.S.
$189,583±$19kHighest
135% above U.S.
$106,967±$12k
32% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$432,200±$39kLowest
30% above U.S.
$447,200±$40k
34% above U.S.
$723,300±$50kHighest
117% above U.S.
$475,800±$40k
43% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly —
$1,027±$535Lowest
27% below U.S.
$3,218±$350Highest
128% above U.S.
$1,832±$130
30% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$6,868
120% above U.S.
$6,435
106% above U.S.
$10,000+Highest
at least 221% above U.S.
$5,592Lowest
79% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
28.5%±15.8Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
46.8%±21.7
U.S.: 51.1%
52.2%±50.9Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
46.9%±17.4
U.S.: 51.1%
Windham and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
4.2%
U.S.: 12.5%
7.9%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
2%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
4.3%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
78.8%
U.S.: 65.2%
70.6%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
93.9%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
75.1%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1983Lowest
3 yrs newer than U.S.
1983Lowest
3 yrs newer than U.S.
1996Highest
16 yrs newer than U.S.
1993
13 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
25 min
6% below U.S.
30 min
14% above U.S.
31 minHighest
17% above U.S.
20 minLowest
25% below U.S.
Work from home
22.5%±6.1
U.S.: 15.1%
28.3%±6.8Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
21.9%±4.4Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
22.3%±7.6
U.S.: 15.1%
Waterbury and Richmond 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 #13 of 120 in NH #11 of 70 in VT
School district Mount Mansfield Unified Union School District #401 Harwood Unified Union School District #60 Windham School District Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56
High school in town None in town None in town Windham High School None in town
Students per teacherat that high school — —
12.8
—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story None yet None yet None yet None yet

U.S. 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.