What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Royalton has the most homeowners (63.5%).

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	Royalton
People
Population	8,293Highest	2,752Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+10%Highest VT: +2.8%	-0.8%Lowest VT: +2.8%
Median age	33.3±1.7Lowest 23% below VT	43.9±10.1Highest about the VT average
	Royalton and Winooski are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	13.5%±2.8Lowest VT: 17.9%	14.4%±5.8Highest VT: 17.9%
	Royalton and Winooski are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	10.9%±2.7Lowest VT: 21.4%	22.1%±6.4Highest VT: 21.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	59.1%Highest VT: 43.8%	42.6%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	12.3%±4.4Highest VT: 7%	8%±4.2Lowest VT: 7%
	Winooski and Royalton 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	$103,938±$24kHighest 28% above VT
	Royalton 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±$25kHighest 20% above VT	$263,200±$73kLowest 17% below VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,643±$90Highest 33% above VT	$1,040±$391Lowest 16% below VT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,802Highest 35% above VT	$4,675Lowest 7% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	46.8%±9.5Highest VT: 48.4%	36.7%±16.1Lowest VT: 48.4%
	Winooski and Royalton 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%	13%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	35.2%Lowest VT: 73.2%	63.5%Highest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1974Highest 2 yrs older than VT	1965Lowest 11 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	22 minHighest 7% below VT	20 minLowest 13% below VT
Work from home	16.4%±4Lowest VT: 16.9%	17.8%±7.3Highest VT: 16.9%
	Royalton 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	#48 of 70 in VT
School district	Winooski Incorporated School District	White River Unified School District #79
High school in town	Winooski High School	White River Valley High School
Students per teacherat that high school	6.4Lowest	8.7Highest
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.