Compare towns
Waterbury vs Essex Junction 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%).
Essex Junction has the most renters (40.7% rent).
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 | Essex Junction | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,405Lowest |
10,803Highest |
10,144 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+14.2% VT: +2.8% |
+16.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 43.2±3.7 about the VT average |
39.3±3.1Lowest 9% below VT |
45.4±4.5Highest 5% above VT |
| 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 VT: 17.9% |
19.6%±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%±4.4 VT: 21.4% |
14.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21%±3.5Highest VT: 21.4% |
| 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% VT: 43.8% |
52.4%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
54.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.8Lowest VT: 7% |
6.7%±2.2Highest VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7 VT: 7% |
| Essex Junction and Williston 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 |
$89,257±$16kLowest 10% above VT |
$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 |
$407,500±$20kLowest 29% above 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±$535Lowest 17% below VT |
$1,544±$135 25% above VT |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,435 28% above VT |
$6,797Highest 35% above VT |
$5,592Lowest 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.8%±21.7Lowest VT: 48.4% |
61.3%±14.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4 VT: 48.4% |
| Essex Junction and Williston 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% |
9.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
4.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.6% VT: 73.2% |
59.3%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
75.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Lowest 7 yrs newer than VT |
1983Lowest 7 yrs newer than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 28% above VT |
19 minLowest 18% below VT |
20 min 16% below VT |
| Work from home | 28.3%±6.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.9%±4Lowest 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 | #14 of 70 in VT | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 | Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union SD #51 | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| High school in town | None in town | Essex High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.7 |
— |
| 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.