Compare towns
Williston vs Barre vs Waterbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
Barre has the most affordable homes ($210k median).
Waterbury has the most people working from home (28.3%).
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 | Williston | Barre | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,144Highest |
8,412 |
5,405Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +16.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+5.3% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.4±4.5Highest 5% above VT |
42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
43.2±3.7 about the VT average |
| Williston and Waterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.5%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21.9%±4.9Highest 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+ | 21%±3.5Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
19.8%±4.4 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+ | 54.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
36.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
54.2% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.7%±2.7Highest VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
3.4%±2.8Lowest VT: 7% |
| Williston and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $106,967±$12kHighest 32% above VT |
$65,625±$7kLowest 19% below VT |
$103,917±$23k 28% 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 | $475,800±$40kHighest 50% above VT |
$210,400±$15kLowest 34% below VT |
$447,200±$40k 41% 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 | $1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
$1,093±$58 11% below VT |
$1,027±$535Lowest 17% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,592 11% above VT |
$5,192Lowest 3% above VT |
$6,435Highest 28% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±17.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
46.8%±21.7 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 | 4.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
17.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7.9% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
70.6% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1983 7 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 16% below VT |
19 minLowest 21% below VT |
30 minHighest 28% above VT |
| Work from home | 22.3%±7.6 VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
28.3%±6.8Highest 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 | #11 of 70 in VT | #19 of 70 in VT | #20 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 |
| High school in town | None in town | Spaulding Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7 |
— |
| 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.