Compare towns
Williston vs Dover vs Essex Junction
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Williston has the most homeowners (75.1%).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Essex Junction has the most affordable homes ($408k 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 | Dover | Essex Junction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,144Lowest |
33,364Highest |
10,803 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+14.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.4±4.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
39.3±3.1 about the U.S. average |
| Williston and Essex Junction are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.5%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Williston and Essex Junction are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Williston and Dover 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
52%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
52.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.7%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.7%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Essex Junction and Dover 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 U.S. |
$94,829±$7k 17% above U.S. |
$89,257±$16kLowest 11% above U.S. |
| Williston and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $475,800±$40kHighest 43% above U.S. |
$436,700±$20k 31% above U.S. |
$407,500±$20kLowest 22% above U.S. |
| Williston and Dover 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. |
$1,544±$135Lowest 9% 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. |
$8,249Highest 164% above U.S. |
$6,797 118% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±17.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
61.3%±14.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Essex Junction and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 25% below U.S. |
23 minHighest 14% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.3%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.9%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Williston and Dover 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 | #14 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Dover School District | Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union SD #51 |
| High school in town | None in town | Dover Senior High School | Essex High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7Highest |
11.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.