What stands out worked out from the figures below

Winooski has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10%).

Colchester has the most homeowners (74.1%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Winooski	Colchester
People
Population	8,293Lowest	17,648Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+10%Highest VT: +2.8%	+2.7%Lowest VT: +2.8%
Median age	33.3±1.7Lowest 23% below VT	39.3±1.4Highest 9% below VT
Kids under 18	13.5%±2.8Lowest VT: 17.9%	19.1%±2.5Highest VT: 17.9%
Age 65+	10.9%±2.7Lowest VT: 21.4%	17.9%±2.1Highest VT: 21.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	59.1%Highest VT: 43.8%	40.8%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	12.3%±4.4Highest VT: 7%	10.9%±1.3Lowest VT: 7%
	Winooski and Colchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$79,522±$11kLowest about the VT average	$97,891±$9kHighest 21% above VT
	Colchester and Winooski are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$381,500±$25kLowest 20% above VT	$394,400±$25kHighest 25% above VT
	Colchester and Winooski are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,643±$90Highest 33% above VT	$1,474±$122Lowest 19% above VT
	Winooski and Colchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,802Highest 35% above VT	$5,471Lowest 9% above VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	46.8%±9.5Highest VT: 48.4%	46.2%±10.6Lowest VT: 48.4%
	Winooski and Colchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	13.8%Highest VT: 10.1%	7%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	35.2%Lowest VT: 73.2%	74.1%Highest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1974Lowest 2 yrs older than VT	1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	22 minHighest 7% below VT	20 minLowest 15% below VT
Work from home	16.4%±4Lowest VT: 16.9%	19%±3.9Highest VT: 16.9%
	Colchester and Winooski 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	#70 of 70 in VT	#18 of 70 in VT
School district	Winooski Incorporated School District	Colchester School District
High school in town	Winooski High School	Colchester High School
Students per teacherat that high school	6.4Lowest	11.8Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.