Compare towns
Williston vs Dover vs Bow vs Stowe
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Stowe has grown the fastest since 2010 (+21.1%).
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 | Dover | Bow | Stowe |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,144 |
33,364Highest |
8,335 |
5,285Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +16.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+21.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.4±4.5 17% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
46.3±7.6Highest 19% above U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.5%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Stowe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Stowe and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
52%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
66.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.7%±2.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $106,967±$12k 32% above U.S. |
$94,829±$7k 17% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$93,618±$33kLowest 16% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $475,800±$40k 43% above U.S. |
$436,700±$20kLowest 31% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$647,800±$157kHighest 95% above U.S. |
| Stowe and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,832±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,607±$100 14% above U.S. |
$1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$1,458±$242Lowest 3% above U.S. |
| Williston and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,592Lowest 79% above U.S. |
$8,249 164% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$7,161 130% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
24.5%±15.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dover and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 25% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.3%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.4%±8.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Stowe and Bow 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 | #64 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Dover School District | Bow School District | Stowe Town School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Dover Senior High School | Bow High School | Stowe High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7 |
12.8Highest |
11.3Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.