What stands out worked out from the figures below

Williamstown has the most affordable homes ($235k median).

Calais has the most people working from home (23.4%).

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	Williamstown	Calais
People
Population	3,579Highest	1,713Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.7%Highest VT: +2.8%	+3.4%Lowest VT: +2.8%
Median age	42±5 about the VT average	42±8.6 about the VT average
Kids under 18	19.9%±5.2Lowest VT: 17.9%	22.5%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9%
	Calais and Williamstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	17%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4%	21.6%±5.2Highest VT: 21.4%
	Calais and Williamstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	17.6%Lowest VT: 43.8%	55.4%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.8%±3.2Lowest VT: 7%	7.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7%
	Calais and Williamstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$94,418±$10kLowest 16% above VT	$100,625±$27kHighest 24% above VT
	Calais and Williamstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$234,900±$24kLowest 26% below VT	$390,300±$36kHighest 23% above VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,659±$189Highest 34% above VT	$1,408±$392Lowest 14% above VT
	Williamstown and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,841Lowest 24% below VT	$6,586Highest 31% above VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	83.7%±100Highest VT: 48.4%	49%±38.3Lowest VT: 48.4%
	Williamstown and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.2%Lowest VT: 10.1%	8.8%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	90.7%Lowest VT: 73.2%	92.4%Highest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT	1976Lowest same as VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	23 minLowest about the VT average	31 minHighest 32% above VT
Work from home	13.9%±6.6Lowest VT: 16.9%	23.4%±7.1Highest VT: 16.9%
	Calais and Williamstown 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	#47 of 70 in VT	—
School district	Paine Mountain Union School District #68	Washington Central Unified Union School District #92
High school in town	Williamstown Middle/High School	None in town
Students per teacherat that high school	9.5	—
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.