Compare towns
Williston vs Townsend vs Waterbury
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
Townsend has the highest household income ($122k).
Waterbury has the most people working from home (28.3%).
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 | Townsend | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,144Highest |
9,100 |
5,405Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.4±4.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
43.2±3.7 11% above U.S. |
| Williston and Waterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.5%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
21.9%±4.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Waterbury and Townsend 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% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±4.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Williston and Waterbury 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% |
35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.7%±2.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Williston and Townsend 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. |
$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
$103,917±$23kLowest 29% above U.S. |
| Townsend 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. |
$433,200±$22kLowest 30% above U.S. |
$447,200±$40k 34% above U.S. |
| Williston and Waterbury 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. |
$1,469±$313 4% above U.S. |
$1,027±$535Lowest 27% below U.S. |
| Williston and Townsend 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. |
$6,031 93% above U.S. |
$6,435Highest 106% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.8%±21.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Townsend 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% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
82%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.6%Lowest 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 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
30 min 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.3%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
28.3%±6.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Waterbury 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 | #136 of 282 in MA | #20 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | North Middlesex | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 |
| High school in town | None in town | North Middlesex Regional | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.1 |
— |
| 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.