Compare towns
White River Junction vs Waterbury vs Williston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
White River Junction has the most renters (56.1% rent).
Waterbury has the most people working from home (28.3%).
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 | White River Junction | Waterbury | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,364Lowest |
5,405 |
10,144Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.8% VT: +2.8% |
+5.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+16.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 33.7±3.2Lowest 22% below VT |
43.2±3.7 about the VT average |
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 | 17.1%±5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21.9%±4.9Highest 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+ | 12.5%±3.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
19.8%±4.4 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+ | 38.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
54.2% VT: 43.8% |
54.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.2%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
3.4%±2.8 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 | $77,168±$4kLowest 5% below VT |
$103,917±$23k 28% 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 | $278,800±$78kLowest 12% below VT |
$447,200±$40k 41% 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 | $1,222±$216 about the VT average |
$1,027±$535Lowest 17% below VT |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,651 12% above VT |
$6,435Highest 28% above VT |
$5,592Lowest 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.9%±17.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
46.8%±21.7 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 | 12.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7.9% VT: 10.1% |
4.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 43.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
70.6% VT: 73.2% |
75.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 13 yrs older than VT |
1983 7 yrs newer than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 15 minLowest 35% below VT |
30 minHighest 28% above VT |
20 min 16% below VT |
| Work from home | 15.7%±5.8Lowest VT: 16.9% |
28.3%±6.8Highest 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 | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| High school 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.