Compare towns
Dalton vs Walden vs Wells
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dalton has the most kids (20.6% under 18).
Walden has the most people working from home (21.4%).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.6%).
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 | Dalton | Walden | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 916Lowest |
1,037 |
1,148Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.5±12.9Lowest 14% above U.S. |
48.8±3.2 25% above U.S. |
50.7±5.2Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Wells and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±11.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.1%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Dalton and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.8%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wells and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
29.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±4.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dalton and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,429±$36k about the U.S. average |
$88,000±$15kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$75,417±$11kLowest 7% below U.S. |
| Walden and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $191,400±$68kLowest 42% below U.S. |
$238,900±$23k 28% below U.S. |
$243,000±$42kHighest 27% below U.S. |
| Wells and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $900±$825Lowest 36% below U.S. |
$900±$136Lowest 36% below U.S. |
$1,313±$282Highest 7% below U.S. |
| Wells and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,561 14% above U.S. |
$3,944Highest 26% above U.S. |
$3,308Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.7%±83.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.3%±86.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
62.5%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Wells and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 19.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
15.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
48 minHighest 80% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 5.9%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.4%±6.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.3%±6.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Walden and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 | Wells Spring Unified Union School District #69 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.