Compare towns
Sheldon vs Vershire vs Waterville vs Highgate
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sheldon has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Vershire has the most affordable homes ($209k median).
Waterville has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.9%).
Highgate has the most people working from home (14.9%).
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 | Sheldon | Vershire | Waterville | Highgate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,267 |
842 |
680Lowest |
3,528Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.5% VT: +2.8% |
-7.9%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-1.8% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.5Lowest 5% below VT |
45.7±9.3 6% above VT |
49.1±8.2Highest 14% above VT |
44±7.4 about the VT average |
| Waterville and Vershire are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.7%±3.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
19.1%±4.5 VT: 17.9% |
20.4%±8.2 VT: 17.9% |
15.8%±5.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Sheldon and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 12.6%±2.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
22.2%±5Highest VT: 21.4% |
14.4%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
22.2%±5.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 14.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
31.8% VT: 43.8% |
32.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
19.5% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
5.2%±2.6 VT: 7% |
5.3%±3.3Highest VT: 7% |
2.6%±2.1 VT: 7% |
| Waterville and Vershire are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $78,533±$25k 3% below VT |
$71,618±$12k 12% below VT |
$71,250±$27kLowest 12% below VT |
$81,017±$14kHighest about the VT average |
| Highgate and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $272,400±$61k 14% below VT |
$209,100±$55kLowest 34% below VT |
$236,300±$15k 25% below VT |
$280,500±$21kHighest 11% below VT |
| Highgate and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,286±$379Highest 4% above VT |
$1,117±$80 9% below VT |
$1,110±$93 10% below VT |
$895±$691Lowest 27% below VT |
| Sheldon and Vershire are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,578 29% below VT |
$4,640Highest 8% below VT |
$3,957 21% below VT |
$3,558Lowest 29% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±27Lowest VT: 48.4% |
77.8%±24.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±27.2 VT: 48.4% |
30.5%±11.3 VT: 48.4% |
| Vershire and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.1% VT: 10.1% |
19.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
4.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.1% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89%Highest VT: 73.2% |
81.5% VT: 73.2% |
79.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
80.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984 8 yrs newer than VT |
1985Highest 9 yrs newer than VT |
1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 7% above VT |
32 min 38% above VT |
38 minHighest 60% above VT |
31 min 32% above VT |
| Work from home | 13%±3.7 VT: 16.9% |
12.3%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
8.5%±3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
14.9%±7.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Highgate and Sheldon 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 | — | — | — | #43 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 | — | Lamoille North Modified Union School District #058A | Missisquoi Valley School District #89 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town | Missisquoi Valley Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 9.8 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.