Compare towns
Williston vs Stowe vs Waterbury vs South Burlington
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).
Stowe has the most expensive homes ($648k median).
Waterbury has the most people working from home (28.3%).
South Burlington has the most renters (38.4% rent).
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 | Stowe | Waterbury | South Burlington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,144 |
5,285Lowest |
5,405 |
20,756Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +16.2% VT: +2.8% |
+21.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+5.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+13.3% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.4±4.5 5% above VT |
46.3±7.6Highest 7% above VT |
43.2±3.7 about the VT average |
38.2±1.8Lowest 11% below 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% |
22.5%±4.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
21.9%±4.9 VT: 17.9% |
19%±2.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Stowe and Waterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
25.8%±6.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.8%±4.4 VT: 21.4% |
17.8%±2.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| 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% VT: 43.8% |
66.7% VT: 43.8% |
54.2%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
67.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.7%±2.7 VT: 7% |
1.6%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
3.4%±2.8 VT: 7% |
6.5%±2Highest VT: 7% |
| South Burlington 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±$12kHighest 32% above VT |
$93,618±$33kLowest 15% above VT |
$103,917±$23k 28% above VT |
$106,667±$13k 31% above VT |
| Williston and South Burlington 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 |
$647,800±$157kHighest 105% above VT |
$447,200±$40k 41% above VT |
$443,400±$19kLowest 40% 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 |
$1,458±$242 18% above VT |
$1,027±$535Lowest 17% below VT |
$1,787±$59 45% above VT |
| Williston and South Burlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,592Lowest 11% above VT |
$7,161Highest 42% above VT |
$6,435 28% above VT |
$6,674 32% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±17.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
24.5%±15.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
46.8%±21.7 VT: 48.4% |
42.9%±7.6 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% |
9.9%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7.9% VT: 10.1% |
7.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.1% VT: 73.2% |
78.6%Highest VT: 73.2% |
70.6% VT: 73.2% |
61.6%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
1982Lowest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1983 7 yrs newer than VT |
1989 13 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 16% below VT |
19 min 18% below VT |
30 minHighest 28% above VT |
18 minLowest 25% below VT |
| Work from home | 22.3%±7.6 VT: 16.9% |
24.4%±8.9 VT: 16.9% |
28.3%±6.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
19.6%±3.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Waterbury and Stowe 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 | — | #20 of 70 in VT | #12 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Stowe Town School District | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 | South Burlington School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Stowe High School | None in town | South Burlington High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.3Highest |
— | 11.0Lowest |
| 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.