Compare towns
Fairfield vs Bakersfield vs Waterville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Fairfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.1%).
Bakersfield has the most people working from home (14.2%).
Waterville has the most affordable homes ($236k median).
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 | Fairfield | Bakersfield | Waterville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,938Highest |
1,109 |
680Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.9% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.3±2.7Lowest about the VT average |
46.4±8 8% above VT |
49.1±8.2Highest 14% above VT |
| Waterville and Bakersfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 25.4%±5Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.6%±3.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
20.4%±8.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfield and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.3%±1.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21.2%±3.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
14.4%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
| Bakersfield and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.2%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
39.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
32.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
7.5%±4.7Highest VT: 7% |
5.3%±3.3 VT: 7% |
| Bakersfield and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $87,019±$22kHighest 7% above VT |
$83,462±$18k about the VT average |
$71,250±$27kLowest 12% below VT |
| Fairfield and Bakersfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $320,600±$22kHighest about the VT average |
$271,300±$19k 14% below VT |
$236,300±$15kLowest 25% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,056±$441Lowest 14% below VT |
$1,200±$327Highest about the VT average |
$1,110±$93 10% below VT |
| Bakersfield and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,816Highest 4% below VT |
$3,823Lowest 24% below VT |
$3,957 21% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.2%±20.4 VT: 48.4% |
18.8%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±27.2Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Waterville and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.1% VT: 10.1% |
7.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
4.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.5% VT: 73.2% |
94%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1982 6 yrs newer than VT |
1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest about the VT average |
33 min 40% above VT |
38 minHighest 60% above VT |
| Work from home | 7.8%±3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
14.2%±7Highest VT: 16.9% |
8.5%±3 VT: 16.9% |
| Bakersfield and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 | Lamoille North Modified Union School District #058A |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.