What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bakersfield has the most kids (13.6% under 18).

Stockbridge has the most people working from home (28.6%).

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.

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

Measure	Bakersfield	Stockbridge
People
Population	1,109Highest	791Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8%	-2.4%Highest VT: +2.8%
Median age	46.4±8Lowest 8% above VT	55.3±5.3Highest 28% above VT
	Stockbridge and Bakersfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	13.6%±3.5Highest VT: 17.9%	9.9%±3.9Lowest VT: 17.9%
	Bakersfield and Stockbridge 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%	27.9%±3.2Highest VT: 21.4%
	Stockbridge 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%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	7.5%±4.7Highest VT: 7%	1.1%±1.2Lowest VT: 7%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$83,462±$18kHighest about the VT average	$77,109±$12kLowest 5% below VT
	Bakersfield and Stockbridge 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	$283,500±$26kHighest 10% below VT
	Stockbridge and Bakersfield 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	$1,140±$126Lowest 8% below VT
	Bakersfield and Stockbridge 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	$4,488Highest 11% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	18.8%±100Lowest VT: 48.4%	53.3%±22Highest VT: 48.4%
	Stockbridge 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%	3.9%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	94%Highest VT: 73.2%	85%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT	1977Lowest 1 yr newer than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 40% above VT	27 minLowest 17% above VT
Work from home	14.2%±7Lowest VT: 16.9%	28.6%±12.2Highest VT: 16.9%
	Stockbridge 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	Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81
High school in town	None 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.