Compare towns
Fletcher vs Topsham vs Wells
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).
Topsham has the most people working from home (14.2%).
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 | Fletcher | Topsham | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,196Highest |
999Lowest |
1,148 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.4% VT: +2.8% |
+2.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+5.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 48.7±7.3Lowest 13% above VT |
50.1±5.9 16% above VT |
50.7±5.2Highest 18% above VT |
| Wells and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4Highest VT: 17.9% |
18%±3.4 VT: 17.9% |
15.1%±4.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Fletcher and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.7%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±4.8 VT: 21.4% |
24.5%±2.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Wells and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
28.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
29.7% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
1.7%±1.3 VT: 7% |
3%±2.1Highest VT: 7% |
| Wells and Topsham 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 |
$72,308±$60kLowest 11% below VT |
$75,417±$11k 7% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $302,100±$37kHighest 5% below VT |
$222,900±$56kLowest 30% below VT |
$243,000±$42k 23% below VT |
| Fletcher and Wells 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 |
$908±$398Lowest 26% below VT |
$1,313±$282 6% above VT |
| Fletcher and Wells 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 |
$4,006 21% below VT |
$3,308Lowest 34% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±78.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
91.9%±28.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
62.5%±100 VT: 48.4% |
| Topsham and Wells 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% |
18.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
15.5% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
90.3%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
93.4% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 11 yrs newer than VT |
1981 5 yrs newer than VT |
1977Lowest 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minLowest 37% above VT |
35 min 49% above VT |
48 minHighest 102% above VT |
| Work from home | 12.3%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
14.2%±5.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
11.3%±6.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Topsham and Fletcher are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Fletcher School District | Waits River Union High District #36 | Wells Spring Unified Union School District #69 |
| 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.