Compare towns
Starks vs Williston vs Mercer
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Starks has the most affordable homes ($149k median).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
Mercer has the youngest population (median age 43.4).
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 | Starks | Williston | Mercer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 556Lowest |
10,144Highest |
718 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.7±9.4Highest 20% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5 17% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5Lowest 12% above U.S. |
| Starks and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Williston and Mercer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.9%±5.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Mercer and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Williston and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $63,500±$8kLowest 21% below U.S. |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above U.S. |
$71,107±$2k 12% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $148,500±$27kLowest 55% below U.S. |
$475,800±$40kHighest 43% above U.S. |
$238,500±$32k 28% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,063±$301Lowest 25% below U.S. |
$1,832±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,422±$249 about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,348Lowest 57% below U.S. |
$5,592Highest 79% above U.S. |
$1,970 37% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.5%±90.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
18.5%±74Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Williston and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 19.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1987Lowest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
30 min 15% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 3.3%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.5%±8.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Williston and Mercer 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 | — | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — |
| 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.