Compare towns
Williston vs Sutton 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 people working from home (22.3%).
Sutton has the most homeowners (95.7%).
Essex Junction has the most renters (40.7% 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 | Sutton | Essex Junction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,144 |
2,239Lowest |
10,803Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+14.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.4±4.5 17% above U.S. |
48.1±4.1Highest 24% above U.S. |
39.3±3.1Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Sutton and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.5%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 21%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±5.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sutton 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
52.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.7%±2.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.7%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Essex Junction 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. |
$130,313±$31kHighest 61% above U.S. |
$89,257±$16kLowest 11% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Williston 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. |
$362,600±$16kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$407,500±$20k 22% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,832±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,656±$614 17% above U.S. |
$1,544±$135Lowest 9% above U.S. |
| Williston and Sutton 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. |
$7,652Highest 145% above U.S. |
$6,797 118% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
27.6%±47.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
61.3%±14.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Essex Junction 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 25% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.3%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.8%±5.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.9%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Williston and Essex Junction 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 | — | #14 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Kearsarge Regional School District | Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union SD #51 |
| High school in town | None in town | Kearsarge Regional High School | Essex High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4Lowest |
11.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.