Compare towns
Barton vs Wells River vs Whitingham
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 people working from home (16.5%).
Wells River has the most renters (52.1% rent).
Whitingham has the highest household income ($71k).
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 | Wells River | Whitingham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 730 |
340Lowest |
1,368Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | -1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 40±5.5Lowest 7% below VT |
42.7±12.7 about the VT average |
46.4±7.1Highest 8% above VT |
| Whitingham 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% |
17.1%±6.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
19.8%±4.5 VT: 17.9% |
| Barton and Whitingham 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% |
19.4%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
31.1%±2.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.7% VT: 43.8% |
16.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
32.8%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±1.6 VT: 7% |
0.6%±3.1Lowest VT: 7% |
2.2%±1.9Highest VT: 7% |
| Whitingham 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 |
$38,688±$5kLowest 52% below VT |
$70,625±$11kHighest 13% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $146,900±$30kLowest 54% below VT |
$170,800±$103k 46% below VT |
$262,300±$30kHighest 17% below VT |
| Whitingham and Wells River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $761±$150 38% below VT |
$900±$336Highest 27% below VT |
$673±$150Lowest 45% below VT |
| Wells River and Barton 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 |
$4,154 18% below VT |
$5,055Highest about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.8%±18.2 VT: 48.4% |
47.6%±14.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
62.7%±47.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Whitingham 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% |
38.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
15.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7% VT: 73.2% |
47.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
85.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945 31 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1974Highest 2 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 32% above VT |
34 min 43% above VT |
38 minHighest 62% above VT |
| Work from home | 16.5%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
5.2%±9.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
9.7%±5.2 VT: 16.9% |
| Barton and Whitingham 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 | — | — | Twin Valley Unified School District #75 |
| High school in town | — | — | Twin Valley Middle High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 7.8 |
| 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.