Compare towns
Barton vs Cabot vs Walden vs Wells River
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barton has the most affordable homes ($147k median).
Cabot has the most kids (27.2% under 18).
Walden has the oldest population (median age 48.8).
Wells River has the most renters (52.1% rent).
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 | Cabot | Walden | Wells River |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 730 |
1,579Highest |
1,037 |
340Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+0.7% VT: +2.8% |
+2.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 40±5.5Lowest 7% below VT |
40.3±6.6 6% below VT |
48.8±3.2Highest 13% above VT |
42.7±12.7 about the VT average |
| Walden and Wells River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 24.1%±5.4 VT: 17.9% |
27.2%±5.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.3%±3.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.1%±6.5 VT: 17.9% |
| Cabot and Barton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.2%±4.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
21%±6.4 VT: 21.4% |
20.4%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Barton and Cabot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.7% VT: 43.8% |
44.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
26.4% VT: 43.8% |
16.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±1.6 VT: 7% |
2.2%±1.6 VT: 7% |
4%±2.1Highest VT: 7% |
0.6%±3.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Walden and Cabot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $40,833±$8k 50% below VT |
$77,031±$16k 5% below VT |
$88,000±$15kHighest 8% above VT |
$38,688±$5kLowest 52% below VT |
| Walden and Cabot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $146,900±$30kLowest 54% below VT |
$268,500±$77kHighest 15% below VT |
$238,900±$23k 25% below VT |
$170,800±$103k 46% below VT |
| Cabot and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $761±$150Lowest 38% below VT |
$1,243±$354Highest about the VT average |
$900±$136 27% below VT |
$900±$336 27% below VT |
| Cabot and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,185Lowest 37% below VT |
$4,639Highest 8% below VT |
$3,944 22% below VT |
$4,154 18% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.8%±18.2Highest VT: 48.4% |
44.1%±26.7Lowest VT: 48.4% |
56.3%±86.8 VT: 48.4% |
47.6%±14.8 VT: 48.4% |
| Barton and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 25.8% VT: 10.1% |
9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.3% VT: 10.1% |
38.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7% VT: 73.2% |
83.7% VT: 73.2% |
93.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
47.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945 31 yrs older than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 32% above VT |
30 min 27% above VT |
26 minLowest 10% above VT |
34 minHighest 43% above VT |
| Work from home | 16.5%±10.4 VT: 16.9% |
21.4%±4.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
21.4%±6.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
5.2%±9.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #38 of 70 in VT | — | — | — |
| School district | — | — | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 | — |
| High school in town | — | — | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.