Compare towns
Shelburne vs Strafford vs Williston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Shelburne has the most people working from home (31.4%).
Strafford has the most homeowners (88.9%).
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.
| Measure | Shelburne | Strafford | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,969 |
1,372Lowest |
10,144Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8% VT: +2.8% |
-0.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+16.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 50.9±3.2 18% above VT |
51.4±4.7Highest 19% above VT |
45.4±4.5Lowest 5% above VT |
| Strafford and Shelburne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
23%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Strafford and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.2%±4.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
22.1%±3.4 VT: 21.4% |
21%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Shelburne and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 70.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
53.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
54.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±2.9Lowest VT: 7% |
5.1%±2.6 VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7Highest VT: 7% |
| Williston and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $115,963±$16kHighest 43% above VT |
$110,833±$19k 36% above VT |
$106,967±$12kLowest 32% above VT |
| Shelburne and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $588,100±$44kHighest 86% above VT |
$431,300±$40kLowest 36% above VT |
$475,800±$40k 50% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,442±$589 17% above VT |
$1,125±$789Lowest 9% below VT |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
| Williston and Shelburne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,173Highest 62% above VT |
$7,149 42% above VT |
$5,592Lowest 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.7%±10.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±48 VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Williston and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.4%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.2% VT: 10.1% |
4.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
75.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 10 yrs newer than VT |
1980Lowest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 14% below VT |
23 minHighest about the VT average |
20 minLowest 16% below VT |
| Work from home | 31.4%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.1%±4.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Shelburne 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 | #8 of 70 in VT | — | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Strafford School District | 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 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.