Compare towns
Windsor vs Brighton vs Williston vs Cornish
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windsor has the oldest housing (typical home built 1945).
Brighton has the most affordable homes ($164k median).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
Cornish has the most homeowners (94.1%).
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 | Windsor | Brighton | Williston | Cornish |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,554 |
1,167Lowest |
10,144Highest |
1,816 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.8±6.5Lowest 15% above U.S. |
45.2±11.6 16% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5 17% above U.S. |
54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S. |
| Cornish and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±5.7 U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Williston and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29.7%±6.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.2%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.3%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Windsor and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
25.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.7%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Williston and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $52,484±$11k 35% below U.S. |
$47,375±$21kLowest 41% below U.S. |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above U.S. |
$91,821±$2k 14% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $207,500±$31k 38% below U.S. |
$163,900±$39kLowest 51% below U.S. |
$475,800±$40kHighest 43% above U.S. |
$296,000±$69k 11% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,026±$89 27% below U.S. |
$775±$33Lowest 45% below U.S. |
$1,832±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,221±$227 14% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,209 67% above U.S. |
$3,360Lowest 8% above U.S. |
$5,592 79% above U.S. |
$5,796Highest 86% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.5%±17Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55%±17Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
40.5%±38.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brighton and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
22%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
51.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 14% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.3%±5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.4%±8.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Williston and Brighton 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 | #61 of 70 in VT | — | #11 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Brighton School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Cornish School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.