Pros and Cons of Living in Williston

Williston's honest tradeoff is real, substantial Taft Corners retail/commercial employment and a strong regional high school, set against a notably high property tax rate and a genuinely severe crime picture.

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Real advantages

Williston offers real, substantial Taft Corners retail/commercial employment, ready Interstate 89 and airport access, a strong-ranked regional high school (Champlain Valley Union, #3 in VT), and Chittenden County's low unemployment rate.

Real tradeoffs

Williston's own cited property tax rate (~2.25%) runs notably above Vermont's statewide figure and neighboring Colchester's, its crime data runs genuinely severe (higher than 98% of VT communities), and its recent population trend runs flat-to-modestly-declining rather than fast-growing.

The net read

For movers -- especially young professionals and families -- prioritizing retail/commercial job access and a strong regional high school, the advantages are real. For those prioritizing the lowest possible property tax rate or crime rate within Chittenden County, the tradeoffs carry real weight.

Key takeaways

Real pros: substantial Taft Corners retail/commercial employment, strong regional schools, and low county unemployment.
Real cons: a notably high property tax rate, severe crime data, and a flat-to-declining recent population trend.
The net read favors job- and school-focused movers who can accept the tax and crime tradeoffs.

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Last reviewed: 2026-08-28. Independent research; not financial, tax, or legal advice -- confirm current figures with a local professional before making a decision.