Compare towns
Bakersfield vs Brookline vs Waterville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bakersfield has the most homeowners (94%).
Brookline has the most people working from home (20.6%).
Waterville has the most affordable homes ($236k median).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Bakersfield | Brookline | Waterville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,109Highest |
531Lowest |
680 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+1.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 46.4±8 8% above VT |
45.1±2.7Lowest 5% above VT |
49.1±8.2Highest 14% above VT |
| Waterville and Bakersfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.6%±3.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
20%±6 VT: 17.9% |
20.4%±8.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Waterville and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.2%±3.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.6%±4.2 VT: 21.4% |
14.4%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bakersfield and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.2% VT: 43.8% |
41.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
32.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.5%±4.7Highest VT: 7% |
3.2%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
5.3%±3.3 VT: 7% |
| Bakersfield and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $83,462±$18kHighest about the VT average |
$80,833±$16k about the VT average |
$71,250±$27kLowest 12% below VT |
| Bakersfield and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $271,300±$19k 14% below VT |
$290,700±$37kHighest 8% below VT |
$236,300±$15kLowest 25% below VT |
| Brookline and Bakersfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,200±$327 about the VT average |
$1,732±$232Highest 40% above VT |
$1,110±$93Lowest 10% below VT |
| Brookline and Bakersfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,823Lowest 24% below VT |
$5,000Highest about the VT average |
$3,957 21% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18.8%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
47.8%±94.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±27.2 VT: 48.4% |
| Brookline and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
6.2% VT: 10.1% |
4.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94%Highest VT: 73.2% |
84.9% VT: 73.2% |
79.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 40% above VT |
28 minLowest 21% above VT |
38 minHighest 60% above VT |
| Work from home | 14.2%±7 VT: 16.9% |
20.6%±5.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
8.5%±3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Brookline and Bakersfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 | — | Lamoille North Modified Union School District #058A |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
VT average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.