What stands out worked out from the figures below

Swanton has the most renters (35.2% rent).

Derby Line has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.1%).

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	Swanton	Derby Line
People
Population	2,670Highest	783Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-2.4%Lowest VT: +2.8%	+2.1%Highest VT: +2.8%
Median age	37.8±4.7Lowest 12% below VT	46.7±13.3Highest 8% above VT
	Derby Line and Swanton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	24.3%±8.1Highest VT: 17.9%	22.6%±8.2Lowest VT: 17.9%
	Swanton and Derby Line are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.3%±2.7Lowest VT: 21.4%	24.9%±6.6Highest VT: 21.4%
	Derby Line and Swanton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	20.2%Lowest VT: 43.8%	35.2%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.2%±1.7Lowest VT: 7%	3.4%±2.3Highest VT: 7%
	Derby Line and Swanton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$66,607±$27kLowest 18% below VT	$71,518±$25kHighest 12% below VT
	Derby Line and Swanton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$229,000±$15kHighest 28% below VT	$201,000±$52kLowest 37% below VT
	Swanton and Derby Line are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,238±$103Highest about the VT average	$835±$334Lowest 32% below VT
	Swanton and Derby Line are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,370Highest 13% below VT	$3,275Lowest 35% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	36.1%±21.6Highest VT: 48.4%	35.4%±24.3Lowest VT: 48.4%
	Swanton and Derby Line are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	20.1%Highest VT: 10.1%	7.3%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	64.8%Lowest VT: 73.2%	83%Highest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1952Lowest 24 yrs older than VT	1956Highest 20 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	21 minLowest 9% below VT	24 minHighest 3% above VT
Work from home	7.4%±4.8Lowest VT: 16.9%	13.5%±9.8Highest VT: 16.9%
	Derby Line and Swanton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.