Williston, Vermont

Williston, Vermont
—  Town  —
Williston Central School
Williston, Vermont
Coordinates: 44°26′43″N 73°5′57″W
Country	United States
State	Vermont
County	Chittenden
Area
• Total	30.7 sq mi (79.5 km2)
• Land	30.3 sq mi (78.6 km2)
• Water	0.4 sq mi (1.0 km2)
Elevation	604 ft (184 m)
Population (2010)
• Total	8,698
• Density	252.1/sq mi (97.4/km2)
Time zone	Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
• Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP code	05495
Area code(s)	802
FIPS code	50-84475
GNIS feature ID	1462263

Williston is a town in Chittenden County, Vermont, United States. The population was 8,698 at the 2010 census, an increase of over 1,000 people since the 2000 census. It is one of the fastest-growing towns in the state, and during the last decade, has developed as a major retail center for the Burlington area as well as much of central and northern Vermont.

It contains the village of Williston, which is unincorporated.

History

The town was named for Samuel Willis, a landholder.

An Amtrak train a with 287 persons aboard hit a landslide and derailed during the night in Williston July 7, 1984, killing five people and injuring two hundred. Although the accident triggered one of Vermont's most intensive emergency responses, the final victims were not rescued until the end of the day.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 30.7 square miles (80 km²), of which 30.3 square miles (78 km²) is land and 0.4 square miles (1.0 km²), or 1.20%, is water.

Brooks

Allen Brook drains the center of the town. It begins and flows from Mud Pond north to the village of Williston, and then in a northwesterly direction where it meets the Winooski River. It has a length of 10 miles (16 km) and drains a watershed covering 6,900 acres (2,800 ha).

Muddy Brook flows on the western edge of Williston and marks the border between Williston and South Burlington.

Nature trail

The Williston Nature Trail has been developed on the Williston Bike Path behind Williston Central School. The trail starts out on a bridge over Allen Brook and goes in a large loop.^{[citation needed]}

Demographics

As of the census of 2010, there were 8,698 people, 2,921 households, and 2,141 families residing in the town. The population density was 252.1 people per square mile (97.4/km²). There were 3,036 housing units at an average density of 100.1 per square mile (38.6/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.45% White, 0.50% African American, 0.14% Native American, 1.20% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.10% from other races, and 0.59% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.95% of the population.

There were 2,92 households, out of which 36.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.1% were married couples living together, 5.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.7% were non-families. 20.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.02.

In the town the population was spread out, with 27.5% under the age of 18, 4.1% from 18 to 24, 32.0% from 25 to 44, 24.6% from 45 to 64, and 11.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 95.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.6 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $61,467, and the median income for a family was $69,762. Males had a median income of $49,048, versus $31,740 for females. The per capita income for the town was $29,757. About 0.8% of families and 1.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.8% of those under age 18 and 4.9% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

One measure of economic activity is retail sales. Williston led the state in 2007 with US$434.8 million. The part of town known as Taft Corners, has a number of big-box stores, including Wal-Mart, Home Depot, Bed, Bath and Beyond, Petsmart, Staples, Old Navy, and Best Buy. The local Wal-Mart is the 3rd highest grossing Wal-Mart in the country.^{[citation needed]} Williston has become a major retail for the Burlington and Chittenden County areas.^{[citation needed]}

Education

The town has two schools: Allen Brook School, Pre-K-2, and Williston Central School, 3–8.

The Williston school district is part of the Chittenden South Supervisory School District. It therefore sends its students of high school age to Champlain Valley Union High School, which it supports through taxation.

Transportation

Bus service is provided by Chittenden County Transportation Authority. This transportation brings residents and workers to South Burlington and Burlington, the central locations of the bus system.

Major routes

Interstate 89 passes through town from east to west, though it is signed north-south. There is one exit within the town.

U.S. Route 2, also known as Williston Road, passes through town from east to west. Williston's historic village is located along U.S. 2 in the center of town.

Vermont Route 2A provides a north-south route through town, connecting it to Hinesburg and Essex Junction. Much of the town's retail development, including nearly all of its big-box stores, is located along Route 2A, which runs through the western part of Williston and intersects I-89 and US Route 2.

Notable people

• Edwin Atwater, Canadian businessman and politician
• Thomas Chittenden, founder of Williston and first governor of Vermont
• Ben Cohen, entrepreneur, a co-founder of Ben & Jerry's
• Jerry Greenfield, entrepreneur, a co-founder of Ben & Jerry's
• Raul Hilberg, Austrian-born historian and leading scholar on the Holocaust
• Haviland Smith, a retired CIA officer and former station chief

External links

• Town of Williston official website
• Williston School District
• Dorothy Alling Memorial Library
• Williston Observer