Compare towns
Waterbury vs Braintree vs Williston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Waterbury has the most people working from home (28.3%).
Braintree has the most affordable homes ($218k median).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
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 | Waterbury | Braintree | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,405 |
1,026Lowest |
10,144Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.3% VT: +2.8% |
-3.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+16.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 43.2±3.7Lowest about the VT average |
58.4±2.4Highest 35% above VT |
45.4±4.5 5% above VT |
| Kids under 18 | 21.9%±4.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
12.3%±3.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Waterbury and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±4.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
33.2%±3.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
21%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.2% VT: 43.8% |
30.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
54.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.8 VT: 7% |
1.8%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7Highest VT: 7% |
| Williston and Waterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $103,917±$23k 28% above VT |
$79,803±$5kLowest about the VT average |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above VT |
| Williston and Waterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $447,200±$40k 41% above VT |
$217,700±$28kLowest 31% below VT |
$475,800±$40kHighest 50% above VT |
| Williston and Waterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,027±$535 17% below VT |
$840±$405Lowest 32% below VT |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,435Highest 28% above VT |
$3,908Lowest 22% below VT |
$5,592 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.8%±21.7 VT: 48.4% |
43.4%±29.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Williston and Waterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.9% VT: 10.1% |
11.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
4.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.6%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
81%Highest VT: 73.2% |
75.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 7 yrs newer than VT |
1979Lowest 3 yrs newer than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 28% above VT |
26 min 11% above VT |
20 minLowest 16% below VT |
| Work from home | 28.3%±6.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
19%±7.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Waterbury 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 | #20 of 70 in VT | — | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.