Compare towns
Bakersfield vs Highgate vs Vernon
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%).
Highgate has the most people working from home (14.9%).
Vernon has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.6%).
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 | Highgate | Vernon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,109Lowest |
3,528Highest |
2,709 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-1.8% VT: +2.8% |
-0.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 46.4±8Highest 8% above VT |
44±7.4 about the VT average |
42.6±5.4Lowest about the VT average |
| Bakersfield and Highgate 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% |
15.8%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
15.1%±3.6 VT: 17.9% |
| Highgate and Vernon 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% |
22.2%±5.2 VT: 21.4% |
22.8%±2.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Vernon and Highgate 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% |
19.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
26.6% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.5%±4.7Highest VT: 7% |
2.6%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
3%±1.7 VT: 7% |
| Bakersfield and Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $83,462±$18k about the VT average |
$81,017±$14kLowest about the VT average |
$85,682±$9kHighest 6% above VT |
| Vernon 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±$19kLowest 14% below VT |
$280,500±$21k 11% below VT |
$285,100±$25kHighest 10% below VT |
| Vernon and Highgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,200±$327Highest about the VT average |
$895±$691Lowest 27% below VT |
$1,023±$214 17% below VT |
| Bakersfield and Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,823 24% below VT |
$3,558Lowest 29% below VT |
$5,191Highest 3% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18.8%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
30.5%±11.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
26.2%±3.7 VT: 48.4% |
| Highgate and Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.3% VT: 10.1% |
8.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.7% VT: 73.2% |
76.2%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
1979Lowest 3 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 40% above VT |
31 min 32% above VT |
20 minLowest 14% below VT |
| Work from home | 14.2%±7 VT: 16.9% |
14.9%±7.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
6.4%±3.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Highgate and Bakersfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #43 of 70 in VT | #30 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 | Missisquoi Valley School District #89 | Vernon School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Missisquoi Valley Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.8 |
— |
| 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.