Waterford is a town in Caledonia County, Vermont, United States. The population was 1,268 at the 2020 census.

The town was formed by the Vermont charter on November 8, 1780, and was originally called Littleton, but the name was changed to Waterford in 1797. The town may have been named after Waterford, Ireland, or for the ford that ran across the Connecticut River in that area.

Waterford is in eastern Caledonia County on the Connecticut River, the eastern border of Vermont. The town is bordered by Barnet to the west, St. Johnsbury to the northwest, Kirby to the north, and Concord, Vermont, to the east. The town of Littleton, New Hampshire, is to the south, across the Connecticut River.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town of Waterford has an area of 39.7 square miles (102.9 km), of which 38.3 square miles (99.2 km) is land and 1.4 square miles (3.7 km), or 3.59%, is water.

The town is crossed by Interstate 93 and Interstate 91. The northern terminus of I-93, at I-91, is in the western corner of the town, just south of St. Johnsbury. Exit 1 on I-93 serves the northern part of Waterford. Vermont Route 18 is a two-lane highway that parallels I-93.

The highest point in Waterford is the 2,017-foot (615 m) summit of Fuller Hill, near the town's eastern border.

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1790	63		—
1800	565		796.8%
1810	1,289		128.1%
1820	1,247		−3.3%
1830	1,358		8.9%
1840	1,388		2.2%
1850	1,412		1.7%
1860	1,171		−17.1%
1870	879		−24.9%
1880	815		−7.3%
1890	734		−9.9%
1900	705		−4.0%
1910	629		−10.8%
1920	574		−8.7%
1930	712		24.0%
1940	498		−30.1%
1950	468		−6.0%
1960	460		−1.7%
1970	586		27.4%
1980	882		50.5%
1990	1,190		34.9%
2000	1,104		−7.2%
2010	1,280		15.9%
2020	1,268		−0.9%
U.S. Decennial Census

At the 2000 census there were 1,104 people in 424 households, including 340 families, in the town. The population density was 28.9 people per square mile (11.2/km). There were 477 housing units at an average density of 12.5 per square mile (4.8/km). The racial makeup of the town was 98.55% White, 0.27% Asian, and 1.18% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.27%.

Of the 424 households 32.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 71.7% were married couples living together, 5.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.8% were non-families. 15.8% of households were one person and 6.1% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 2.88.

The age distribution was 24.6% under the age of 18, 4.3% from 18 to 24, 25.7% from 25 to 44, 31.4% from 45 to 64, and 13.9% 65 or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 104.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.5 males.

The area known as "White Village" features homes from the 1700s, a church, library, post office and bed and breakfast.

The median household income was $50,197 and the median family income was $52,105. Males had a median income of $32,100 versus $23,839 for females. The per capita income for the town was $21,762. About 2.3% of families and 4.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.3% of those under age 18 and 6.3% of those age 65 or over.

Waterford has the highest per capita income of any town or city in the Northeast Kingdom. It ranks 74 out of 282 census areas in Vermont.

Waterford Public Schools are part of the Caledonia Central Supervisory Union. The district serves students in prekindergarten to eighth grade.

• Amos K. Hadley, Speaker of the New York State Assembly
• Jonathan Ross, Chief Justice of the Vermont Supreme Court and a United States senator from Vermont

The film State and Main is about a film production; it is set in Waterford, although it was actually filmed in Massachusetts.

• Town of Waterford official website
• Waterford Volunteer Fire Department
• City-Data.com
• ePodunk: Profile for Waterford, Vermont, VT
• Waterford, Vermont, History
• Waterford School