What stands out worked out from the figures below

Topsham has the most people working from home (14.2%).

Whiting has the shortest commute (22 min average).

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	Topsham	Whiting
People
Population	999Highest	532Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.2% VT: +2.8%	—
Median age	50.1±5.9Highest 16% above VT	39.6±2.7Lowest 8% below VT
Kids under 18	18%±3.4Lowest VT: 17.9%	23.5%±6.9Highest VT: 17.9%
	Whiting and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	23.2%±4.8Highest VT: 21.4%	13%±5.1Lowest VT: 21.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	28.1%Highest VT: 43.8%	25.9%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	1.7%±1.3Lowest VT: 7%	6.2%±4Highest VT: 7%
	Whiting and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$72,308±$60kLowest 11% below VT	$91,250±$38kHighest 12% above VT
	Whiting and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$222,900±$56kLowest 30% below VT	$280,400±$36kHighest 11% below VT
	Whiting and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$908±$398Lowest 26% below VT	$1,204±$519Highest about the VT average
	Whiting and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,006Lowest 21% below VT	$4,227Highest 16% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	91.9%±28.3Highest VT: 48.4%	58.3%±37.3Lowest VT: 48.4%
	Topsham and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	18.8%Highest VT: 10.1%	11.5%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	90.3%Highest VT: 73.2%	65.4%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT	1975Lowest 1 yr older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	35 minHighest 49% above VT	22 minLowest 7% below VT
Work from home	14.2%±5.8Highest VT: 16.9%	10%±5.4Lowest VT: 16.9%
	Topsham and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	Waits River Union High District #36	Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53
High school in town	None in town	None in town
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.