Compare towns
Fletcher vs Fairfield vs Bakersfield vs Walden
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Fletcher has the highest household income ($106k).
Fairfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.1%).
Bakersfield has the oldest housing (typical home built 1982).
Walden has the most people working from home (21.4%).
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 | Fletcher | Fairfield | Bakersfield | Walden |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,196 |
1,938Highest |
1,109 |
1,037Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.4% VT: +2.8% |
+8.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+2.2% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 48.7±7.3 13% above VT |
42.3±2.7Lowest about the VT average |
46.4±8 8% above VT |
48.8±3.2Highest 13% above VT |
| Walden and Fletcher are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4 VT: 17.9% |
25.4%±5Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.6%±3.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
14.3%±3.9 VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfield and Fletcher are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.7%±4Highest VT: 21.4% |
14.3%±1.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21.2%±3.9 VT: 21.4% |
20.4%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Fletcher and Bakersfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.3% VT: 43.8% |
30.2% VT: 43.8% |
39.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
26.4%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
3.5%±1.6 VT: 7% |
7.5%±4.7Highest VT: 7% |
4%±2.1 VT: 7% |
| Bakersfield and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $105,833±$9kHighest 30% above VT |
$87,019±$22k 7% above VT |
$83,462±$18kLowest about the VT average |
$88,000±$15k 8% above VT |
| Fletcher and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $302,100±$37k 5% below VT |
$320,600±$22kHighest about the VT average |
$271,300±$19k 14% below VT |
$238,900±$23kLowest 25% below VT |
| Fairfield and Fletcher are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,679±$427Highest 36% above VT |
$1,056±$441 14% below VT |
$1,200±$327 about the VT average |
$900±$136Lowest 27% below VT |
| Fletcher and Bakersfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,965Highest about the VT average |
$4,816 4% below VT |
$3,823Lowest 24% below VT |
$3,944 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±78.3 VT: 48.4% |
29.2%±20.4 VT: 48.4% |
18.8%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
56.3%±86.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Walden and Fletcher are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
5.1% VT: 10.1% |
7.3% VT: 10.1% |
9.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
88.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
94% VT: 73.2% |
93.8% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 11 yrs newer than VT |
1984 8 yrs newer than VT |
1982Lowest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1983 7 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 37% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
33 minHighest 40% above VT |
26 min 10% above VT |
| Work from home | 12.3%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
7.8%±3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
14.2%±7 VT: 16.9% |
21.4%±6.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Walden and Bakersfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Fletcher School District | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.