Compare towns
Salisbury vs Sheldon vs Williamstown
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Salisbury has the most people working from home (23.3%).
Sheldon has the most kids (23.7% under 18).
Williamstown has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.7%).
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 | Salisbury | Sheldon | Williamstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,609Lowest |
2,267 |
3,579Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.5±4.5Highest 32% above U.S. |
40.9±3.5Lowest 5% above U.S. |
42±5 8% above U.S. |
| Salisbury and Williamstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.1%±9.6 U.S.: 22% |
23.7%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.9%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Sheldon and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.9%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
12.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17%±3.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Salisbury and Williamstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
14.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
17.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Williamstown and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $111,591±$17kHighest 38% above U.S. |
$78,533±$25kLowest about the U.S. average |
$94,418±$10k 17% above U.S. |
| Salisbury and Williamstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,400±$47kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$272,400±$61k 18% below U.S. |
$234,900±$24kLowest 29% below U.S. |
| Salisbury and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,917±$632Highest 36% above U.S. |
$1,286±$379Lowest 9% below U.S. |
$1,659±$189 17% above U.S. |
| Salisbury and Williamstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,859Highest 88% above U.S. |
$3,578Lowest 15% above U.S. |
$3,841 23% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±27Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
83.7%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Williamstown and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
89%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Lowest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 21% above U.S. |
25 min 5% below U.S. |
23 minLowest 12% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.3%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.9%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Salisbury and Williamstown 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 | — | — | #47 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Merrimack Valley School District | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Williamstown Middle/High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.5 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.