Compare towns
Waitsfield vs Durham vs Northfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Waitsfield has the most kids (23.8% under 18).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.1).
Northfield has the most affordable homes ($274k median).
Durham is a college town. 70.2% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Waitsfield | Durham | Northfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,918Lowest |
10,681Highest |
5,920 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.3±5.3Highest 14% above U.S. |
20.1±0.2Lowest 48% below U.S. |
36.4±4.1 6% below U.S. |
| Waitsfield and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.8%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
6.5%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 28.2%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
7.5%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Waitsfield and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 63.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
70.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
15.1%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $84,375±$34k 5% above U.S. |
$112,070±$25kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$71,768±$13kLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Durham and Waitsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $422,400±$92k 27% above U.S. |
$498,000±$45kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$274,400±$21kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Durham and Waitsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,200±$821 15% below U.S. |
$1,302±$211Highest 8% below U.S. |
$1,018±$207Lowest 28% below U.S. |
| Durham and Waitsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,208 99% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,878Lowest 56% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.4%±30.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.4%±19.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
63.3%±17.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Northfield and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
53.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest same as U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 5% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
27 minHighest 3% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19%±6.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Waitsfield and Durham 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 | — | #9 of 120 in NH | #42 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 | — | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Northfield Middle/High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.0 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.