Compare towns
Bakersfield vs Sheldon vs Windham
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%).
Sheldon has the most kids (23.7% under 18).
Windham has the most people working from home (20.5%).
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 | Sheldon | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,109 |
2,267Highest |
594Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-2.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 46.4±8Highest 8% above VT |
40.9±3.5Lowest 5% below VT |
44.2±7.4 about the VT average |
| Bakersfield and Windham 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% |
23.7%±3.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9 VT: 17.9% |
| Sheldon and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.2%±3.9 VT: 21.4% |
12.6%±2.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Windham 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% VT: 43.8% |
14.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.5%±4.7Highest VT: 7% |
2%±1.3 VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Bakersfield and Sheldon 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 |
$78,533±$25kLowest 3% below VT |
$94,500±$12kHighest 16% above VT |
| Windham 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 |
$272,400±$61k 14% below VT |
$353,900±$20kHighest 12% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,200±$327Lowest about the VT average |
$1,286±$379Highest 4% above VT |
— |
| Sheldon and Bakersfield 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 |
$3,578Lowest 29% below VT |
$5,951Highest 18% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18.8%±100 VT: 48.4% |
0%±27Lowest VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Windham and Bakersfield 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% |
5.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.9%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94%Highest VT: 73.2% |
89% VT: 73.2% |
82.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Lowest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1982Lowest 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 40% above VT |
25 minLowest 7% above VT |
27 min 14% above VT |
| Work from home | 14.2%±7 VT: 16.9% |
13%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Windham 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 | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.