Compare towns
Waterbury vs Royalton 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%).
Royalton has the most affordable homes ($263k 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 | Royalton | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,405 |
2,752Lowest |
10,144Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.3% VT: +2.8% |
-0.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+16.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 43.2±3.7Lowest about the VT average |
43.9±10.1 about the VT average |
45.4±4.5Highest 5% above VT |
| Williston and Royalton 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% |
14.4%±5.8Lowest 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% |
22.1%±6.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
21%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
| Royalton and Williston 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% |
42.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
54.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.8Lowest VT: 7% |
8%±4.2Highest VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7 VT: 7% |
| Royalton 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±$23kLowest 28% above VT |
$103,938±$24k 28% above VT |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above VT |
| Williston and Royalton 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 |
$263,200±$73kLowest 17% 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±$535Lowest 17% below VT |
$1,040±$391 16% below VT |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,435Highest 28% above VT |
$4,675Lowest 7% below VT |
$5,592 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.8%±21.7 VT: 48.4% |
36.7%±16.1Lowest 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% |
13%Highest VT: 10.1% |
4.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.6% VT: 73.2% |
63.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
75.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 7 yrs newer than VT |
1965Lowest 11 yrs older than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 28% above VT |
20 min 13% below VT |
20 minLowest 16% below VT |
| Work from home | 28.3%±6.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.8%±7.3Lowest 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 | #48 of 70 in VT | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 | White River Unified School District #79 | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| High school in town | None in town | White River Valley High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.7 |
— |
| 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.