What stands out worked out from the figures below

Shelburne has the most kids (20.2% under 18).

Waitsfield has the most renters (66.2% rent).

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	Shelburne	Waitsfield
People
Population	7,969Highest	193Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+8% VT: +2.8%	—
Median age	50.9±3.2Lowest 18% above VT	74.8±13.4Highest 74% above VT
Kids under 18	20.2%±3.9Highest VT: 17.9%	0%±14.7Lowest VT: 17.9%
Age 65+	29.2%±4.2Lowest VT: 21.4%	71.5%±17.2Highest VT: 21.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	70.2%Lowest VT: 43.8%	71.3%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.7%±2.9Lowest VT: 7%	5.2%±9.1Highest VT: 7%
	Waitsfield and Shelburne 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	$26,384±$5kLowest 68% below VT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$588,100±$44kHighest 86% above VT	$453,100±$98kLowest 43% above VT
	Shelburne and Waitsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,442±$589 17% above VT	—
Property taxmedian, yearly	$8,173Highest 62% above VT	$4,688Lowest 7% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	43.7%±10.6Highest VT: 48.4%	41.1%±49.6Lowest VT: 48.4%
	Shelburne and Waitsfield 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%	3.1%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	69.9%Highest VT: 73.2%	33.8%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT	1975Lowest 1 yr older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	20 minHighest 14% below VT	14 minLowest 40% below VT
Work from home	31.4%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9%	31%±23.9Lowest VT: 16.9%
	Shelburne and Waitsfield 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	—
School district	Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56	—
High school in town	None in town	—
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.