City profile · Vermont · Census ACS 2023

Waterbury, VT

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Waterbury - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

1,728
Residents
$59,934
Median income
$332,900
Median home
$1,482
Median rent (state)

Waterbury - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Waterbury places in the 35th percentile for household income. Source: Census ACS.

35th
percentile, household income
70th
percentile, home value
59th
percentile, median rent
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Waterbury, VT

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 1,728 residents in Waterbury, a small town within Vermont. Waterbury households earn a median of $59,934 annually, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 27.1%. Waterbury's housing stock carries a median value of $332,900, and the median resident age is 40.7 years. About 54.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 64.0% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 7 residential building permits were authorized in Waterbury (Building Boom), up 75% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data.

Vermont tracks close to the national cost-of-living baseline: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Vermont at 98.0 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Near Average). Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,482 monthly. Monthly utility costs average around $251 across Vermont, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 52.2 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Low).

Population

1,728 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Vermont

Median Household Income

$59,934 /yr

Poverty 27.1%

Cost of Living Index (state)

98.0 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Vermont average

How does Waterbury compare to other US cities?

Waterbury measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 35% higher than other cities
Home value 70% pricier than other cities
Median rent 59% pricier than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Waterbury's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Vermont, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

35thIncome percentile

35th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Waterbury's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$332,900 30th percentile more affordable than 30% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). This entry sits in this band. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Waterbury $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Waterbury, VT Waterbury, VT's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Waterbury, VT-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Waterbury, VT median $59,934/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Waterbury, VT's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Waterbury, VT. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 54.8%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 27.1%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 64.0%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
1,728
Median Income
$59,934
Median Home Value
$332,900
Median Age
40.7
Poverty Rate
27.1%
Labor force participation
64.0%
Bachelor's Degree+
54.8%

Schools

Total Schools
1
Public schools in this city

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
7
housing units authorized
Single-Family
7
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
4.1
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 4
2020 5
2021 10
2022 7

Permit volume increased 75% from 2019 to 2022.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
72.4%
Carpool
2.5%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
8.3%
Work from Home
16.9%

Based on 883 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Vermont - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$105
avg/month
Natural Gas
$98
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$48
avg/month
Total Utilities
$251
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Vermont state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Vermont state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Waterbury sits in

Cost of Living Index
98.0
Near Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,482/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
52.2 / 100
Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Vermont

Johnson
1,668 people
Williamstown
1,622 people
Richford
1,600 people
Enosburg Falls
1,595 people
Arlington
1,871 people
Proctor
1,568 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Waterbury's 1,728 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Point MacKenzie, AK
1,728 people
Osburn, ID
1,728 people
Washington Park, IL
1,728 people
Teaticket, MA
1,728 people
San Antonio comunidad (Aguadilla Municipio), PR
1,728 people
Hanley Hills, MO
1,727 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Waterbury's $59,934 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Merced, CA
$59,938 median income
Belleville, MI
$59,929 median income
Basin, WY
$59,941 median income
Leoma, TN
$59,926 median income
Abbotsford, WI
$59,943 median income
Winder, GA
$59,944 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Waterbury, VT Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Waterbury, VT - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 94.5% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 0.1% White 94.5% Black or African American 0.0% Asian 0.0% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.1% Two or more races 5.4% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Waterbury compares to nearby Vermont cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Waterbury (this city) 1,728 $59,934
Johnson 1,668 $48,355
Williamstown 1,622 $90,938
Richford 1,600 $49,954
Census ACS 5-year FIPS VT NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Waterbury, VT?

What is the population of Waterbury, VT? +

Waterbury, VT has a population of 1,728 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Waterbury, VT? +

Waterbury households earn a median of $59,934 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Waterbury? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Waterbury; the closest available measure is the Vermont state average, a cost of living index of 98.0 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Near Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Vermont vary by metro area.

What is the median home value in Waterbury, VT? +

A typical home in Waterbury is worth $332,900, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.