What stands out worked out from the figures below

Grafton has the most expensive homes ($343k median).

Newark has the most kids (22% under 18).

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	Grafton	Newark
People
Population	666Lowest	727Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-5%Lowest VT: +2.8%	+0.5%Highest VT: +2.8%
Median age	59.2±4.4Highest 37% above VT	41.4±6Lowest 4% below VT
Kids under 18	5.9%±3.7Lowest VT: 17.9%	22%±3Highest VT: 17.9%
Age 65+	34.2%±2Highest VT: 21.4%	19.9%±5.1Lowest VT: 21.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	48.4%Highest VT: 43.8%	41%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	7.1%±5Highest VT: 7%	0.6%±0.6Lowest VT: 7%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$76,111±$7kHighest 6% below VT	$72,929±$7kLowest 10% below VT
	Grafton and Newark are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$343,200±$85kHighest 8% above VT	$229,900±$23kLowest 27% below VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,288±$174Lowest 4% above VT	$1,708±$97Highest 38% above VT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,843Highest 4% below VT	$3,771Lowest 25% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	53.8%±69.4Highest VT: 48.4%	7.1%±100Lowest VT: 48.4%
	Grafton and Newark are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.5%Lowest VT: 10.1%	22.4%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	89.9%Lowest VT: 73.2%	90.8%Highest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1978Lowest 2 yrs newer than VT	1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minLowest 4% above VT	34 minHighest 44% above VT
Work from home	15.8%±5.4Highest VT: 16.9%	13.8%±8.2Lowest VT: 16.9%
	Grafton and Newark are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	Athens Grafton School District	Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.