Compare towns
Barton 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 kids (24.1% under 18).
Walden has the highest household income ($88k).
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 | Walden | Wells River |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 730 |
1,037Highest |
340Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+2.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 40±5.5Lowest 7% 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%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.3%±3.9Lowest 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%±4.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.4%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Barton and Walden 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% |
26.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
16.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±1.6 VT: 7% |
4%±2.1Highest VT: 7% |
0.6%±3.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Walden 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 |
$88,000±$15kHighest 8% above VT |
$38,688±$5kLowest 52% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $146,900±$30kLowest 54% below VT |
$238,900±$23kHighest 25% below VT |
$170,800±$103k 46% below VT |
| Walden and Wells River 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 |
$900±$136Highest 27% below VT |
$900±$336Highest 27% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,185Lowest 37% below VT |
$3,944 22% below VT |
$4,154Highest 18% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.8%±18.2Highest VT: 48.4% |
56.3%±86.8 VT: 48.4% |
47.6%±14.8Lowest 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% |
9.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
38.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7% 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 |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 32% above VT |
26 minLowest 10% above VT |
34 minHighest 43% above VT |
| Work from home | 16.5%±10.4 VT: 16.9% |
21.4%±6.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
5.2%±9.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Walden 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 | — | — |
| 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 |
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.