What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bakersfield has the most renters (6% rent).

Waterford has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.9%).

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	Waterford
People
Population	1,109Lowest	1,279Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8%	-0.9%Highest VT: +2.8%
Median age	46.4±8Highest 8% above VT	45.4±5.3Lowest 5% above VT
	Bakersfield and Waterford 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%	16.7%±2.5Highest VT: 17.9%
	Waterford and Bakersfield 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%	21.4%±3.3Highest VT: 21.4%
	Waterford 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%Lowest VT: 43.8%	41%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	7.5%±4.7Highest VT: 7%	2%±1.3Lowest VT: 7%
	Bakersfield and Waterford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$83,462±$18kLowest about the VT average	$109,375±$19kHighest 35% above VT
	Waterford 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	$271,500±$22kHighest 14% below VT
	Waterford and Bakersfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,200±$327 about the VT average	—
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,823Lowest 24% below VT	$4,238Highest 16% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	18.8%±100 VT: 48.4%	—
Below poverty line	7.3%Highest VT: 10.1%	7%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	94%Lowest VT: 73.2%	99%Highest 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 minHighest 40% above VT	24 minLowest 4% above VT
Work from home	14.2%±7Lowest VT: 16.9%	15.3%±7.8Highest VT: 16.9%
	Waterford 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	Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78
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.