Compare towns
Royalton vs Wilder vs Meredith
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Royalton has the highest household income ($104k).
Wilder has grown the fastest since 2010 (+81.7%).
Meredith has the most expensive homes ($480k 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 | Royalton | Wilder | Meredith |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,752Lowest |
3,087 |
6,758Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+81.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.9±10.1Lowest 13% above U.S. |
45.5±8.9 17% above U.S. |
55.5±3.7Highest 43% above U.S. |
| Meredith and Wilder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Royalton and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.1%±6.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.3%±4.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
34.2%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Meredith and Wilder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
60.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8%±4.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.1%±3.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wilder and Royalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $103,938±$24kHighest 29% above U.S. |
$75,143±$9kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$87,019±$19k 8% above U.S. |
| Royalton and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $263,200±$73kLowest 21% below U.S. |
$273,200±$18k 18% below U.S. |
$480,100±$48kHighest 44% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,040±$391Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,142±$451 19% below U.S. |
$1,149±$304Highest 19% below U.S. |
| Meredith and Wilder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,675Lowest 50% above U.S. |
$5,505Highest 76% above U.S. |
$5,006 61% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.7%±16.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.9%±17.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.5%±9.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Meredith and Wilder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 63.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
62.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 23% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 37% below U.S. |
26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 17.8%±7.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.6%±6.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Meredith and Royalton 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 | #48 of 70 in VT | — | #62 of 120 in NH |
| School district | White River Unified School District #79 | — | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | White River Valley High School | — | Inter-Lakes High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.7Lowest |
— | 11.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.