What stands out worked out from the figures below

Royalton has the most homeowners (63.5%).

Winooski has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Royalton	Winooski
People
Population	2,752Lowest	8,293Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-0.8%Lowest VT: +2.8%	+10%Highest VT: +2.8%
Median age	43.9±10.1Highest about the VT average	33.3±1.7Lowest 23% below VT
	Royalton and Winooski are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	14.4%±5.8Highest VT: 17.9%	13.5%±2.8Lowest VT: 17.9%
	Royalton and Winooski are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	22.1%±6.4Highest VT: 21.4%	10.9%±2.7Lowest VT: 21.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	42.6%Lowest VT: 43.8%	59.1%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	8%±4.2Lowest VT: 7%	12.3%±4.4Highest VT: 7%
	Winooski 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 28% above VT	$79,522±$11kLowest about the VT average
	Royalton and Winooski are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$263,200±$73kLowest 17% below VT	$381,500±$25kHighest 20% above VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,040±$391Lowest 16% below VT	$1,643±$90Highest 33% above VT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,675Lowest 7% below VT	$6,802Highest 35% above VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	36.7%±16.1Lowest VT: 48.4%	46.8%±9.5Highest VT: 48.4%
	Winooski and Royalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	13%Lowest VT: 10.1%	13.8%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	63.5%Highest VT: 73.2%	35.2%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1965Lowest 11 yrs older than VT	1974Highest 2 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	20 minLowest 13% below VT	22 minHighest 7% below VT
Work from home	17.8%±7.3Highest VT: 16.9%	16.4%±4Lowest VT: 16.9%
	Royalton and Winooski 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	#70 of 70 in VT
School district	White River Unified School District #79	Winooski Incorporated School District
High school in town	White River Valley High School	Winooski High School
Students per teacherat that high school	8.7Highest	6.4Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.