Compare towns
Waterbury vs Durham vs Williston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Waterbury has the most people working from home (28.3%).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
Durham is a college town. 55.1% 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 | Waterbury | Durham | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,405Lowest |
15,080Highest |
10,144 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.2±3.7 11% above U.S. |
20.8±0.3Lowest 47% below U.S. |
45.4±4.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
| Williston and Waterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.9%±4.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Waterbury and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±4.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Williston and Waterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
55.1%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $103,917±$23kLowest 29% above U.S. |
$124,056±$21kHighest 54% above U.S. |
$106,967±$12k 32% above U.S. |
| Durham and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $447,200±$40kLowest 34% above U.S. |
$504,300±$41kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$475,800±$40k 43% above U.S. |
| Durham and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,027±$535Lowest 27% below U.S. |
$1,429±$143 about the U.S. average |
$1,832±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,435 106% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$5,592Lowest 79% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.8%±21.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±16Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Durham and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
15.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
64.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981Lowest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
20 min 25% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 28.3%±6.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #9 of 120 in NH | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 | Oyster River Coop School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| High school in town | None in town | Oyster River High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.3 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 51 photos → | 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.