What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Swanton has the most kids (24.3% 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	Swanton
People
Population	1,109Lowest	2,670Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8%	-2.4%Highest VT: +2.8%
Median age	46.4±8Highest 8% above VT	37.8±4.7Lowest 12% below VT
	Bakersfield and Swanton 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%	24.3%±8.1Highest VT: 17.9%
	Swanton and Bakersfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	21.2%±3.9Highest VT: 21.4%	19.3%±2.7Lowest VT: 21.4%
	Bakersfield and Swanton 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%	20.2%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	7.5%±4.7Highest VT: 7%	2.2%±1.7Lowest VT: 7%
	Bakersfield and Swanton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$83,462±$18kHighest about the VT average	$66,607±$27kLowest 18% below VT
	Bakersfield and Swanton 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	$229,000±$15kLowest 28% below VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,200±$327Lowest about the VT average	$1,238±$103Highest about the VT average
	Swanton and Bakersfield 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	$4,370Highest 13% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	18.8%±100Lowest VT: 48.4%	36.1%±21.6Highest VT: 48.4%
	Swanton 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%	20.1%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	94%Highest VT: 73.2%	64.8%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT	1952Lowest 24 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 40% above VT	21 minLowest 9% below VT
Work from home	14.2%±7Highest VT: 16.9%	7.4%±4.8Lowest VT: 16.9%
	Bakersfield and Swanton 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 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.