Compare towns
Williston vs Bellows Falls vs Bennington vs Stowe
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Williston has the highest household income ($107k).
Bellows Falls has the most renters (49.3% rent).
Bennington has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Stowe has the most expensive homes ($648k median).
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 | Bellows Falls | Bennington | Stowe |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,144 |
2,891Lowest |
15,249Highest |
5,285 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +16.2% VT: +2.8% |
-12.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-2.7% VT: +2.8% |
+21.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.4±4.5 5% above VT |
41.3±6.7Lowest 4% below VT |
44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
46.3±7.6Highest 7% above VT |
| Stowe and Williston 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% |
22.6%±6.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
22.5%±4.6 VT: 17.9% |
| Bellows Falls and Stowe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
23.7%±5.7 VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8 VT: 21.4% |
25.8%±6.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Stowe and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.9% VT: 43.8% |
27.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
36.9% VT: 43.8% |
66.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.7%±2.7 VT: 7% |
8.2%±4.3Highest VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6 VT: 7% |
1.6%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
| Bellows Falls and Bennington 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 |
$56,086±$2kLowest 31% below VT |
$59,446±$7k 27% below VT |
$93,618±$33k 15% above VT |
| Williston and Stowe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $475,800±$40k 50% above VT |
$195,600±$35kLowest 38% below VT |
$213,300±$15k 33% below VT |
$647,800±$157kHighest 105% above VT |
| Stowe and Williston 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 |
$1,038±$109Lowest 16% below VT |
$1,133±$63 8% below VT |
$1,458±$242 18% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,592 11% above VT |
$4,448Lowest 12% below VT |
$4,513 10% below VT |
$7,161Highest 42% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±17.4 VT: 48.4% |
43.9%±16.8 VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
24.5%±15.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Williston 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% |
25.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
13.2% VT: 10.1% |
9.9% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.1% VT: 73.2% |
50.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
58.4% VT: 73.2% |
78.6%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1961 15 yrs older than VT |
1982 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 16% below VT |
20 minHighest 14% below VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
19 min 18% below VT |
| Work from home | 22.3%±7.6 VT: 16.9% |
6.9%±5.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
24.4%±8.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Stowe 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 | — | #58 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | — | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Stowe Town School District |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | Stowe High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 14.7Highest |
11.3Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.