What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Johnson has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.3%).

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	Johnson
People
Population	1,109Lowest	3,450Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8%	+1.3%Highest VT: +2.8%
Median age	46.4±8Highest 8% above VT	30.9±6.5Lowest 28% below VT
Kids under 18	13.6%±3.5Lowest VT: 17.9%	22.7%±5Highest VT: 17.9%
Age 65+	21.2%±3.9Highest VT: 21.4%	10.8%±3.1Lowest VT: 21.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	39.2%Highest VT: 43.8%	32.2%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	7.5%±4.7Lowest VT: 7%	14.4%±2.1Highest VT: 7%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$83,462±$18kHighest about the VT average	$55,346±$14kLowest 32% below VT
	Bakersfield and Johnson 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	$169,400±$62kLowest 46% below VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,200±$327Highest about the VT average	$948±$45Lowest 23% below VT
	Bakersfield and Johnson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,823Highest 24% below VT	$3,310Lowest 34% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	18.8%±100Lowest VT: 48.4%	51.6%±20.8Highest VT: 48.4%
	Johnson and Bakersfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.3%Lowest VT: 10.1%	12.2%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	94%Highest VT: 73.2%	58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT	1980Lowest 4 yrs newer than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minLowest 40% above VT	33 minHighest 42% above VT
Work from home	14.2%±7Highest VT: 16.9%	8.8%±4.6Lowest VT: 16.9%
	Bakersfield and Johnson 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	—	#57 of 70 in VT
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

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.