Compare towns

Rockingham 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

Rockingham has the most affordable homes ($211k 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.

MeasureRockinghamWaterburyWilliston
People
Population
4,807Lowest
5,405
10,144Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
-8.5%Lowest
VT: +2.8%
+5.3%
VT: +2.8%
+16.2%Highest
VT: +2.8%
Median age
46.4±2.6Highest
8% above VT
43.2±3.7Lowest
about the VT average
45.4±4.5
5% above VT
Rockingham and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
19.2%±4.3Lowest
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+
29.8%±5Highest
VT: 21.4%
19.8%±4.4Lowest
VT: 21.4%
21%±3.5
VT: 21.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
37.1%Lowest
VT: 43.8%
54.2%
VT: 43.8%
54.9%Highest
VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
6.1%±2.9Highest
VT: 7%
3.4%±2.8Lowest
VT: 7%
5.7%±2.7
VT: 7%
Rockingham and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$70,857±$16kLowest
13% below VT
$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
$210,900±$14kLowest
33% 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
$1,062±$101
14% below VT
$1,027±$535Lowest
17% below VT
$1,832±$130Highest
48% above VT
Property taxmedian, yearly
$4,887Lowest
3% below VT
$6,435Highest
28% above VT
$5,592
11% above VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
46.7%±13.7Lowest
VT: 48.4%
46.8%±21.7
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
16.7%Highest
VT: 10.1%
7.9%
VT: 10.1%
4.3%Lowest
VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
61.7%Lowest
VT: 73.2%
70.6%
VT: 73.2%
75.1%Highest
VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1938Lowest
38 yrs older than VT
1983
7 yrs newer than VT
1993Highest
17 yrs newer than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
20 min
16% below VT
30 minHighest
28% above VT
20 minLowest
16% below VT
Work from home
17.9%±7.1Lowest
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 #65 of 70 in VT #20 of 70 in VT #11 of 70 in VT
School district Rockingham School District 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.