What stands out worked out from the figures below

Fletcher has the highest household income ($106k).

Wells has the most affordable homes ($243k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Fletcher	Wells
People
Population	1,196Highest	1,148Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5.4%Lowest VT: +2.8%	+5.6%Highest VT: +2.8%
Median age	48.7±7.3Lowest 13% above VT	50.7±5.2Highest 18% above VT
	Wells and Fletcher 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%	15.1%±4.2Lowest VT: 17.9%
	Fletcher and Wells 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%	24.5%±2.2Highest VT: 21.4%
	Wells and Fletcher 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%	29.7%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	1.3%±1.9Lowest VT: 7%	3%±2.1Highest VT: 7%
	Wells and Fletcher 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	$75,417±$11kLowest 7% below VT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$302,100±$37kHighest 5% below VT	$243,000±$42kLowest 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	$1,313±$282Lowest 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	$3,308Lowest 34% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	42.1%±78.3Lowest VT: 48.4%	62.5%±100Highest VT: 48.4%
	Wells 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%	15.5%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	96.1%Highest VT: 73.2%	93.4%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1987Highest 11 yrs newer than VT	1977Lowest 1 yr newer than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	32 minLowest 37% above VT	48 minHighest 102% above VT
Work from home	12.3%±7.2Highest VT: 16.9%	11.3%±6.2Lowest VT: 16.9%
	Fletcher and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	Fletcher School District	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

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.