Compare towns
Williamstown vs Ware vs Highgate
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Williamstown has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.7%).
Ware has the most renters (27.7% rent).
Highgate has the most people working from home (14.9%).
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 | Williamstown | Ware | Highgate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,579 |
10,048Highest |
3,528Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42±5Lowest 8% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
44±7.4Highest 13% above U.S. |
| Highgate and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
15.8%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Williamstown and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.2%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Highgate and Ware 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
24%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
19.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.6%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Williamstown and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,418±$10kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$81,017±$14k about the U.S. average |
| Williamstown and Highgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $234,900±$24kLowest 29% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28kHighest 13% below U.S. |
$280,500±$21k 16% below U.S. |
| Ware and Highgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,659±$189Highest 17% above U.S. |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
$895±$691Lowest 37% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,841 23% above U.S. |
$4,237Highest 36% above U.S. |
$3,558Lowest 14% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 83.7%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
30.5%±11.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Williamstown and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 12% below U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.9%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.9%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Highgate 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 | #267 of 282 in MA | #43 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 | Ware | Missisquoi Valley School District #89 |
| High school in town | Williamstown Middle/High School | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Missisquoi Valley Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.5Lowest |
11.1Highest |
9.8 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.