Compare towns
Whiting vs Highgate vs Sheldon vs Salisbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Whiting has the most renters (34.6% rent).
Highgate has the most people working from home (14.9%).
Sheldon has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Salisbury has the oldest population (median age 50.6).
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 | Whiting | Highgate | Sheldon | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 532Lowest |
3,528Highest |
2,267 |
1,200 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -1.8% VT: +2.8% |
-2.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+7.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 39.6±2.7Lowest 8% below VT |
44±7.4 about the VT average |
40.9±3.5 5% below VT |
50.6±6.5Highest 17% above VT |
| Salisbury and Highgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.5%±6.9 VT: 17.9% |
15.8%±5.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
23.7%±3.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
16.6%±3.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Sheldon and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 13%±5.1 VT: 21.4% |
22.2%±5.2 VT: 21.4% |
12.6%±2.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.4%±2.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.9% VT: 43.8% |
19.5% VT: 43.8% |
14.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
34.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±4Highest VT: 7% |
2.6%±2.1 VT: 7% |
2%±1.3 VT: 7% |
1.6%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Whiting and Highgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,250±$38k 12% above VT |
$81,017±$14k about the VT average |
$78,533±$25kLowest 3% below VT |
$99,688±$21kHighest 23% above VT |
| Salisbury and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $280,400±$36k 11% below VT |
$280,500±$21k 11% below VT |
$272,400±$61kLowest 14% below VT |
$306,900±$51kHighest 3% below VT |
| Salisbury and Highgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,204±$519 about the VT average |
$895±$691Lowest 27% below VT |
$1,286±$379 4% above VT |
$1,443±$984Highest 17% above VT |
| Salisbury and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,227 16% below VT |
$3,558Lowest 29% below VT |
$3,578 29% below VT |
$4,842Highest 4% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.3%±37.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
30.5%±11.3 VT: 48.4% |
0%±27Lowest VT: 48.4% |
31.9%±22.6 VT: 48.4% |
| Whiting and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.1% VT: 10.1% |
5.1% VT: 10.1% |
4.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
80.7% VT: 73.2% |
89%Highest VT: 73.2% |
88.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 1 yr older than VT |
1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 7% below VT |
31 minHighest 32% above VT |
25 min 7% above VT |
19 minLowest 20% below VT |
| Work from home | 10%±5.4 VT: 16.9% |
14.9%±7.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
13%±3.7 VT: 16.9% |
6%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Highgate and Sheldon 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 | — | #43 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 | Missisquoi Valley School District #89 | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | None in town | Missisquoi Valley Union High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.8 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.