What stands out worked out from the figures below

Waterford has the highest household income ($109k).

St. Johnsbury has the most renters (46% rent).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Waterford	St. Johnsbury
People
Population	1,279Lowest	5,859Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-0.9%Highest VT: +2.8%	-3.2%Lowest VT: +2.8%
Median age	45.4±5.3Highest 5% above VT	42.6±4.5Lowest about the VT average
	Waterford and St. Johnsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	16.7%±2.5Lowest VT: 17.9%	20%±3.2Highest VT: 17.9%
	St. Johnsbury and Waterford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	21.4%±3.3Highest VT: 21.4%	20.6%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4%
	Waterford and St. Johnsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	41%Highest VT: 43.8%	30.7%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2%±1.3Lowest VT: 7%	5.9%±2.6Highest VT: 7%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$109,375±$19kHighest 35% above VT	$53,711±$8kLowest 34% below VT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$271,500±$22kHighest 14% below VT	$174,500±$17kLowest 45% below VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	—	$912±$45 26% below VT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,238Highest 16% below VT	$3,778Lowest 25% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	—	48.2%±11.6 VT: 48.4%
Below poverty line	7%Lowest VT: 10.1%	19.7%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	99%Highest VT: 73.2%	54%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT	1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minHighest 4% above VT	19 minLowest 18% below VT
Work from home	15.3%±7.8Lowest VT: 16.9%	17.6%±5Highest VT: 16.9%
	St. Johnsbury and Waterford 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	—	#60 of 70 in VT
School district	Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78	—
High school in town	None in town	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.