Compare towns
Townshend vs Windham vs Williston vs Wardsboro
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Townshend has the most people working from home (28%).
Windham has the youngest population (median age 44.2).
Williston has the most expensive homes ($476k median).
Wardsboro has the most homeowners (90.4%).
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 | Townshend | Windham | Williston | Wardsboro |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,538 |
594Lowest |
10,144Highest |
820 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8% VT: +2.8% |
— | +16.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 55.6±9.6Highest 29% above VT |
44.2±7.4Lowest about the VT average |
45.4±4.5 5% above VT |
51.6±7.3 20% above VT |
| Townshend and Wardsboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 12%±2.6Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9 VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±6.5 VT: 17.9% |
| Williston and Wardsboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±6.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1 VT: 21.4% |
21%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
27.4%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Wardsboro and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.1% VT: 43.8% |
48.1% VT: 43.8% |
54.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
38.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.8 VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7Highest VT: 7% |
0.9%±0.9 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $78,750±$29k 3% below VT |
$94,500±$12k 16% above VT |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above VT |
$62,000±$6kLowest 24% below VT |
| Williston and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $287,200±$79kLowest 9% below VT |
$353,900±$20k 12% above VT |
$475,800±$40kHighest 50% above VT |
$299,300±$47k 5% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,074±$80Lowest 13% below VT |
— | $1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
$1,479±$224 20% above VT |
| Williston and Wardsboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,364 6% above VT |
$5,951Highest 18% above VT |
$5,592 11% above VT |
$4,345Lowest 14% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 72.5%±23.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94Lowest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4 VT: 48.4% |
54.5%±58 VT: 48.4% |
| Townshend and Wardsboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.1% VT: 10.1% |
9.9%Highest VT: 10.1% |
4.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
7.7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% VT: 73.2% |
82.9% VT: 73.2% |
75.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 6 yrs newer than VT |
1982 6 yrs newer than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
1978Lowest 2 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 6% above VT |
27 minHighest 14% above VT |
20 minLowest 16% below VT |
27 min 14% above VT |
| Work from home | 28%±18.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6 VT: 16.9% |
13.3%±5.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Townshend and Williston 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 | West River Valley Union Education District #72B · West River Valley Union Education District #72A | — | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | River Valleys Unified School District #73 |
| High school in town | Leland & Gray Union Middle & High School | — | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.1 |
— | — | — |
| 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.