Compare towns
Sheffield vs Williston vs Marshfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sheffield has the most affordable homes ($172k median).
Williston has the most expensive homes ($476k median).
Marshfield has the oldest housing (typical home built 1938).
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 | Sheffield | Williston | Marshfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 573 |
10,144Highest |
470Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+16.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 42±8Lowest about the VT average |
45.4±4.5Highest 5% above VT |
42.4±8.8 about the VT average |
| Williston and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±6.6Lowest VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
19.4%±9.1 VT: 17.9% |
| Williston and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.2%±4 VT: 21.4% |
21%±3.5Highest VT: 21.4% |
10.2%±4.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Williston and Sheffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
54.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
35.7% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±4.7Highest VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7 VT: 7% |
3.6%±2.4Lowest VT: 7% |
| Sheffield and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $58,333±$26kLowest 28% below VT |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above VT |
$84,375±$20k 4% above VT |
| Williston and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $171,900±$50kLowest 46% below VT |
$475,800±$40kHighest 50% above VT |
$178,300±$31k 44% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $967±$79Lowest 22% below VT |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
$1,125±$79 9% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,123Lowest 58% below VT |
$5,592Highest 11% above VT |
$3,269 35% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.5%±41.2Highest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
52.4%±62.4 VT: 48.4% |
| Sheffield and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
4.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
4.9% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
75.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
81.2% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987 11 yrs newer than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 28% above VT |
20 minLowest 16% below VT |
29 min 24% above VT |
| Work from home | 6.1%±2.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.5%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
| Williston and Marshfield 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 | — | #11 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.