The Town FilesWaterville, Vermont
Town in Lamoille County · population 686 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $236,300
- Household income
- $71,250
- Jan low / Jul high
- 5° / 76°
- Snow a year
- 133 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 49.1
Waterville is a town of 686 people in Lamoille County, Vermont. The median home is worth $236,300, below the typical Vermont town ($278,700). It ranks easier by car than 98% of Vermont towns, more of a college town than 90% of Vermont towns.
How Waterville 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.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Waterville is worth $236,300, below the typical Vermont town ($278,700). Homes cost about 3.3 times the median household income of $71,250, which is more affordable than 70% of Vermont towns. Median rent is $1,110 a month. 79.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Waterville | Typical Vermont town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $236,300 | $278,700 |
| Median rent | $1,110 | $1,117 |
| Median household income | $71,250 | $76,895 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.3× | 3.6× |
| Homeownership | 79.9% | 81.6% |
| Median year built | 1972 | 1976 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Waterville
| People | Waterville | Typical Vermont town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 49.1 | 45.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.4% | 22.2% |
| Under 18 | 20.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 32.1% | 38.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.9% | 8.6% |
| Veterans | 7.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.0% | — |
| Work from home | 8.5% | 14.9% |
| Average commute | 37.5 min | 25.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 79.3% | 89.3% |
Weather in Waterville
July highs average 75.9°F and January lows 4.6°F. About 46.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 133.3 inches of snow (typical Vermont town: 84.3 in). Expect about 0 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 177 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Waterville since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Vermont town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on May 20, 1962 about 4.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 18, 2008.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 11 times; the largest was 1.50 inches on May 26, 2011.
Severe weather in Lamoille County since 1996
Lamoille County has been included in 38 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 11, 2024 | Flood | DR-4816: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| August 20, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4810: Severe Storm, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| August 8, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3609: Tropical Depression Debby |
| April 19, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4770: Severe Winter Storm |
| March 2, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4762: Severe Storm And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Lamoille County
Lamoille County had 12,436 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $57,777 a year. Unemployment was 2.5% in 2023; in Waterville itself the ACS puts it at 9.4%.
Public schools in Waterville
1 public school with 78 students, about 4.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waterville Elementary School | PK-6 | 78 | 4.9 |
Towns near Waterville
- Bakersfield, VT3.7 mi · 1,273 people · home $271,300
- Fletcher, VT7.0 mi · 1,346 people · home $302,100
- Jeffersonville, VT7.0 mi · 750 people · home $319,600
- Johnson, VT7.2 mi · 3,491 people · home $169,400
- Johnson, VT8.1 mi · 1,332 people · home —
- Cambridge, VT8.1 mi · 3,839 people · home $343,000
- Fairfield, VT9.5 mi · 2,044 people · home $320,600
- Enosburgh, VT9.7 mi · 2,810 people · home $223,100
Waterville questions
Is Waterville, Vermont a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Waterville scores better for retirees than 11% of Vermont towns and quieter than 44%. 14.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 49.1).
How much does a house cost in Waterville?
The median owner-occupied home in Waterville is valued at $236,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $71,250, so homes cost about 3.3 times income. Median rent is $1,110 a month.
What is the weather like in Waterville?
July highs average 75.9°F and January lows 4.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 46.8 inches of precipitation a year and 133.3 inches of snow.
Does Waterville get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Waterville since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on May 20, 1962. The typical Vermont town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)