Compare towns
Stowe vs Parma vs Shelburne
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Stowe has grown the fastest since 2010 (+21.1%).
Parma has the most affordable homes ($220k median).
Shelburne has the most people working from home (31.4%).
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 | Stowe | Parma | Shelburne |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,285Lowest |
16,111Highest |
7,969 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +21.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.3±7.6 19% above U.S. |
40.4±3.3Lowest 4% above U.S. |
50.9±3.2Highest 31% above U.S. |
| Shelburne and Stowe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.5%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
25.6%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.2%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Parma and Stowe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.8%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.2%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Shelburne and Stowe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 66.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
70.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.6%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Shelburne and Parma are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $93,618±$33k 16% above U.S. |
$93,558±$8kLowest 16% above U.S. |
$115,963±$16kHighest 44% above U.S. |
| Shelburne and Stowe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $647,800±$157kHighest 95% above U.S. |
$220,000±$15kLowest 34% below U.S. |
$588,100±$44k 77% above U.S. |
| Stowe and Shelburne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,458±$242Highest 3% above U.S. |
$1,216±$111Lowest 14% below U.S. |
$1,442±$589 about the U.S. average |
| Stowe and Shelburne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,161 130% above U.S. |
$5,549Lowest 78% above U.S. |
$8,173Highest 162% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 24.5%±15.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.8%±15.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±10.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Parma and Shelburne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
22 minHighest 16% below U.S. |
20 min 23% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.4%±8.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
31.4%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Shelburne and Stowe 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 | — | #88 of 484 in NY | #8 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Stowe Town School District | HILTON CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| High school in town | Stowe High School | HILTON HIGH SCHOOL | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Lowest |
11.9Highest |
— |
| 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.