What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bakersfield has the most people working from home (14.2%).

Brunswick has the most kids (23.9% under 18).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Bakersfield	Brunswick
People
Population	1,109Highest	109Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-3.7% VT: +2.8%	—
Median age	46.4±8Lowest 8% above VT	57.5±13.8Highest 33% above VT
	Brunswick 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%	23.9%±24.5Highest VT: 17.9%
	Brunswick and Bakersfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	21.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4%	39.4%±25.3Highest VT: 21.4%
	Brunswick and Bakersfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	39.2%Highest VT: 43.8%	35.8%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	7.5%±4.7Highest VT: 7%	3.7%±11Lowest VT: 7%
	Bakersfield and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$83,462±$18kLowest about the VT average	$128,125±$33kHighest 58% above VT
	Brunswick and Bakersfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$271,300±$19kHighest 14% below VT	$228,100±$52kLowest 28% below VT
	Bakersfield and Brunswick 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	—
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,823Highest 24% below VT	$2,472Lowest 51% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	18.8%±100Lowest VT: 48.4%	100%±100Highest VT: 48.4%
	Brunswick and Bakersfield 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%	4.6%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	94%Lowest VT: 73.2%	95.1%Highest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT	1976Lowest same as VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minLowest 40% above VT	41 minHighest 76% above VT
Work from home	14.2%±7Highest VT: 16.9%	10.5%±15.2Lowest VT: 16.9%
	Bakersfield and Brunswick 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	—
High school in town	None in town	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.