Compare towns
Barton vs Mendon 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 kids (24.1% under 18).
Mendon has the highest household income ($101k).
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 | Mendon | Wells River |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 730 |
1,113Highest |
340Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+8.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 40±5.5Lowest 7% below VT |
53.4±10.5Highest 24% above VT |
42.7±12.7 about the VT average |
| Mendon 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%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.6%±5.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.1%±6.5 VT: 17.9% |
| Barton and Wells River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.2%±4.2 VT: 21.4% |
29%±1.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.7% VT: 43.8% |
49.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
16.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±1.6 VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.1Highest VT: 7% |
0.6%±3.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Mendon and Barton 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 |
$100,524±$23kHighest 24% above VT |
$38,688±$5kLowest 52% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $146,900±$30kLowest 54% below VT |
$357,000±$44kHighest 13% above VT |
$170,800±$103k 46% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $761±$150Lowest 38% below VT |
$1,230±$651Highest about the VT average |
$900±$336 27% below VT |
| Mendon and Wells River 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 |
$5,342Highest 6% above VT |
$4,154 18% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.8%±18.2 VT: 48.4% |
88.6%±42.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
47.6%±14.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Mendon and Barton 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% |
8.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
38.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7% VT: 73.2% |
92.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
47.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945 31 yrs older than VT |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 32% above VT |
17 minLowest 28% below VT |
34 minHighest 43% above VT |
| Work from home | 16.5%±10.4 VT: 16.9% |
22.5%±8.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
5.2%±9.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Mendon and Barton 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 | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.