Compare towns
Windham vs Sheldon vs Grafton vs Townshend
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windham has the highest household income ($95k).
Sheldon has the most kids (23.7% under 18).
Grafton has the oldest population (median age 59.2).
Townshend has the most people working from home (28%).
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 | Windham | Sheldon | Grafton | Townshend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 594Lowest |
2,267Highest |
666 |
1,538 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -2.5% VT: +2.8% |
-5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+4.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.2±7.4 about the VT average |
40.9±3.5Lowest 5% below VT |
59.2±4.4Highest 37% above VT |
55.6±9.6 29% above VT |
| Grafton and Townshend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.5%±7.9 VT: 17.9% |
23.7%±3.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
5.9%±3.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
12%±2.6 VT: 17.9% |
| Sheldon and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.2%±8.1 VT: 21.4% |
12.6%±2.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
34.2%±2Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.3%±6.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.1% VT: 43.8% |
14.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.4% VT: 43.8% |
52.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
2%±1.3 VT: 7% |
7.1%±5Highest VT: 7% |
1.4%±0.8 VT: 7% |
| Grafton and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $94,500±$12kHighest 16% above VT |
$78,533±$25k 3% below VT |
$76,111±$7kLowest 6% below VT |
$78,750±$29k 3% below VT |
| Windham and Townshend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $353,900±$20kHighest 12% above VT |
$272,400±$61kLowest 14% below VT |
$343,200±$85k 8% above VT |
$287,200±$79k 9% below VT |
| Windham and Grafton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,286±$379 4% above VT |
$1,288±$174Highest 4% above VT |
$1,074±$80Lowest 13% below VT |
| Grafton and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,951Highest 18% above VT |
$3,578Lowest 29% below VT |
$4,843 4% below VT |
$5,364 6% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
0%±27Lowest VT: 48.4% |
53.8%±69.4 VT: 48.4% |
72.5%±23.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Townshend and Grafton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.9%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.1% VT: 10.1% |
4.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.1% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% VT: 73.2% |
89% VT: 73.2% |
89.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
82.6%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 6 yrs newer than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1978Lowest 2 yrs newer than VT |
1982 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 14% above VT |
25 min 7% above VT |
24 minLowest 4% above VT |
25 min 6% above VT |
| Work from home | 20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
13%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
15.8%±5.4 VT: 16.9% |
28%±18.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Townshend and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 | Athens Grafton School District | West River Valley Union Education District #72B · West River Valley Union Education District #72A |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | Leland & Gray Union Middle & High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 8.1 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.