Compare towns
Fletcher vs Wells vs Salisbury vs Bakersfield
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 most kids (19% under 18).
Wells has the most affordable homes ($243k median).
Salisbury has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Bakersfield has the most people working from home (14.2%).
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 | Wells | Salisbury | Bakersfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,196 |
1,148 |
1,200Highest |
1,109Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.4% VT: +2.8% |
+5.6% VT: +2.8% |
+7.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 48.7±7.3 13% above VT |
50.7±5.2Highest 18% above VT |
50.6±6.5 17% above VT |
46.4±8Lowest 8% above VT |
| Wells and Salisbury 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%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
16.6%±3.2 VT: 17.9% |
13.6%±3.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Fletcher and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.7%±4 VT: 21.4% |
24.5%±2.2 VT: 21.4% |
30.4%±2.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.3% VT: 43.8% |
29.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
34.6% VT: 43.8% |
39.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
3%±2.1 VT: 7% |
1.6%±1.1 VT: 7% |
7.5%±4.7Highest VT: 7% |
| Bakersfield and Wells 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 |
$99,688±$21k 23% above VT |
$83,462±$18k about the VT average |
| Fletcher and Salisbury 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 |
$243,000±$42kLowest 23% below VT |
$306,900±$51kHighest 3% below VT |
$271,300±$19k 14% below VT |
| Salisbury 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 |
$1,313±$282 6% above VT |
$1,443±$984 17% above VT |
$1,200±$327Lowest about the VT average |
| Fletcher and Salisbury 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 |
$4,842 4% below VT |
$3,823 24% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±78.3 VT: 48.4% |
62.5%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
31.9%±22.6 VT: 48.4% |
18.8%±100Lowest 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% |
4.6% VT: 10.1% |
7.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
93.4% VT: 73.2% |
88.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
94% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 11 yrs newer than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
1982 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 37% above VT |
48 minHighest 102% above VT |
19 minLowest 20% below VT |
33 min 40% above VT |
| Work from home | 12.3%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
11.3%±6.2 VT: 16.9% |
6%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
14.2%±7Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Bakersfield 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 | Wells Spring Unified Union School District #69 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 |
| 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.