Compare towns
Windham vs Williston vs Middlebury vs Westminster
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 most homeowners (82.9%).
Williston has the most expensive homes ($476k median).
Middlebury has the youngest population (median age 31.8).
Westminster has the most kids (28.4% under 18).
Middlebury is a college town. 32.6% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Williston | Middlebury | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 594 |
10,144Highest |
9,175 |
497Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +16.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+7.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 44.2±7.4 about the VT average |
45.4±4.5Highest 5% above VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
43.3±11.5 about the VT average |
| Williston and Windham 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% |
20.5%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
28.4%±7.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Westminster and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.2%±8.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
21%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
19.7%±11.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Windham and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.1% VT: 43.8% |
54.9% VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
45.4%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7 VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
2.2%±3.5 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $94,500±$12k 16% above VT |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above VT |
$86,169±$16k 6% above VT |
$81,000±$22kLowest about the VT average |
| Williston and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $353,900±$20k 12% above VT |
$475,800±$40kHighest 50% above VT |
$409,700±$30k 29% above VT |
$313,600±$39kLowest about the VT average |
| Williston and Middlebury 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 |
$1,156±$113 6% below VT |
$749±$315Lowest 39% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,951 18% above VT |
$5,592 11% above VT |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$4,480Lowest 11% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4 VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
6.1%±43.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Middlebury and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.9% VT: 10.1% |
4.3% VT: 10.1% |
10.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
2.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
75.1% VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
80.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 6 yrs newer than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 14% above VT |
20 min 16% below VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
30 minHighest 26% above VT |
| Work from home | 20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6 VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
23.1%±15.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Westminster 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 | #17 of 70 in VT | #53 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Middlebury Union High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.6 |
— |
| 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.