Compare towns
Barton vs Brooks vs Mapleton vs Waldo
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barton has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Brooks has the oldest population (median age 45.9).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Waldo has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.3%).
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.
| Measure | Barton | Brooks | Mapleton | Waldo |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 730Lowest |
1,208 |
1,884Highest |
926 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-6.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40±5.5 about the U.S. average |
45.9±6.6Highest 18% above U.S. |
41.8±6 7% above U.S. |
37.5±9.6Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| Brooks and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 24.1%±5.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.1%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
20.2%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Barton and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.2%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.3%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
12.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Barton and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
27.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
34.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.8%±3.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.8%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brooks and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $40,833±$8kLowest 49% below U.S. |
$59,130±$10k 27% below U.S. |
$91,731±$25kHighest 14% above U.S. |
$71,458±$21k 11% below U.S. |
| Mapleton and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $146,900±$30kLowest 56% below U.S. |
$196,700±$33k 41% below U.S. |
$191,800±$23k 42% below U.S. |
$208,000±$41kHighest 37% below U.S. |
| Waldo and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $761±$150 46% below U.S. |
$1,116±$112 21% below U.S. |
$610±$277Lowest 57% below U.S. |
$1,150±$691Highest 19% below U.S. |
| Waldo and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,185Highest about the U.S. average |
$2,096 33% below U.S. |
$1,789 43% below U.S. |
$1,623Lowest 48% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.8%±18.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
18%±17.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
74.1%±36.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Waldo and Barton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 25.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
19.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
74.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1986 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 18% above U.S. |
25 min 5% below U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.5%±10.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.5%±2.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Barton and Waldo 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 | #38 of 70 in VT | — | — | — |
| School district | — | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Waldo-Region 7 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.