The Town Files

Williston, Vermont

Town in Chittenden County · population 10,103 (2020 Census)

Map: where Williston is in VermontWilliston
Median home
$475,800
Household income
$106,967
Jan low / Jul high
13° / 82°
Snow a year
88 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
3
Median age
45.4

Williston is a town of 10,103 people in Chittenden County, Vermont. The median home is worth $475,800, above the typical Vermont town ($278,700). It ranks more upscale than 95% of Vermont towns, more vibrant than 93% of Vermont towns, better for young professionals than 84% of Vermont towns.

How Williston ranks

Percentile among Vermont towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Vermont towns.

Williston lifestyle rankings vs other Vermont townsRetirement15th pctFamilies26th pctQuiet12th pctWalkability73rd pctFirst-time buyersbottomYoung professionals84th pctVibrancy93rd pctHip & trendy55th pctCollege town4th pctUpscale95th pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCyclingbottomTransit59th pctDriving22nd pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in Williston is worth $475,800, above the typical Vermont town ($278,700). Homes cost about 4.4 times the median household income of $106,967, which is more affordable than 23% of Vermont towns. Median rent is $1,832 a month. 75.1% of households own their home.

Williston vs Chittenden County vs typical Vermont townWillistonChittenden CountyTypical Vermont townHome value$475,800$439,200$278,700Household income$106,967$96,759$76,895Monthly rent$1,832$1,646$1,117
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Vermont towns with 500+ people.
HousingWillistonTypical Vermont town
Median home value$475,800$278,700
Median rent$1,832$1,117
Median household income$106,967$76,895
Home value ÷ income4.4×3.6×
Homeownership75.1%81.6%
Median year built19931976
Seasonal / vacation homes2.5%—

Who lives in Williston

PeopleWillistonTypical Vermont town
Median age45.445.7
Age 65 and over21.0%22.2%
Under 1820.5%—
Bachelor's degree or higher54.9%38.9%
Below the poverty line4.3%8.6%
Veterans8.4%—
Born outside the U.S.3.8%—
Work from home22.3%14.9%
Average commute19.7 min25.2 min
Homes with broadband97.9%89.3%

Weather in Williston

July highs average 82.4°F and January lows 12.9°F. About 37.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 87.5 inches of snow (typical Vermont town: 84.3 in). Expect about 8 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 145 nights at or below freezing.

Williston monthly temperatures and precipitation10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing29°13°Jan32°14°Feb41°24°Mar55°36°Apr69°48°May78°57°Jun82°62°Jul81°61°Aug73°53°Sep59°42°Oct46°32°Nov35°21°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue2.121.11.819.32.217.53.14.13.84.34.13.53.73.80.32.75.72.519.5
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Burlington Intl Ap station (3.8 mi away).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Williston since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Vermont town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on August 8, 1983 about 7.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 31, 1987.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Williston by decade01950s01960s11970s21980s01990s02000s02010s02020s
NOAA Storm Events Database, tornado tracks (start to end point) passing within 10 miles of the town center, 1950–2026.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 46 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on August 9, 1968.

Severe weather in Chittenden County since 1996

Storm events in Chittenden County since 1996 by typeHail121Heat16Flood42High Wind60Lightning21Flash Flood36Strong Wind80Winter Storm193
NOAA Storm Events Database, Chittenden County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 13 deaths recorded.

Chittenden County has been included in 32 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
August 20, 2024Severe StormDR-4810: Severe Storm, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides
August 8, 2024Tropical StormEM-3609: Tropical Depression Debby
April 19, 2024Severe StormDR-4770: Severe Winter Storm
July 14, 2023FloodDR-4720: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides
July 10, 2023FloodEM-3595: Flooding

Jobs and pay in Chittenden County

Chittenden County had 103,301 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $73,186 a year. Unemployment was 1.6% in 2023; in Williston itself the ACS puts it at 1.6%.

Largest industries in Chittenden CountyHealth care & social assistan…17,558 jobs · $76,247Retail11,152 jobs · $43,817Professional & technical serv…9,010 jobs · $123,463Manufacturing8,777 jobs · $82,372Hotels & restaurants8,475 jobs · $30,636Construction5,304 jobs · $79,234
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Chittenden County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%2000200420082012201620202023Chittenden 1.6%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Public schools in Williston

1 public school with 937 students, about 12.7 students per teacher.

SchoolGradesStudentsPer teacher
Williston SchoolsPK-893712.7

Towns near Williston

Williston questions

Is Williston, Vermont a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Williston scores better for retirees than 15% of Vermont towns and quieter than 12%. 21.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 45.4).

How much does a house cost in Williston?

The median owner-occupied home in Williston is valued at $475,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $106,967, so homes cost about 4.4 times income. Median rent is $1,832 a month.

What is the weather like in Williston?

July highs average 82.4°F and January lows 12.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 37.5 inches of precipitation a year and 87.5 inches of snow.

Does Williston get tornadoes?

3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Williston since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on August 8, 1983. The typical Vermont town has had 2.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Williston's Census boundary (GEOID 5000784475). Comparisons use the median of Vermont towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-12.