Compare towns
Mapleton vs Thetford vs Waitsfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Thetford has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Waitsfield has the most people working from home (19%).
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 | Mapleton | Thetford | Waitsfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,884Lowest |
2,813Highest |
1,918 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±6Lowest 7% above U.S. |
43.6±6.2 12% above U.S. |
44.3±5.3Highest 14% above U.S. |
| Waitsfield and Thetford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.8%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Waitsfield and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.3%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.8%±6 U.S.: 17.2% |
28.2%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Waitsfield and Thetford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
68%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.7%±4.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Thetford and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,731±$25kHighest 14% above U.S. |
$88,045±$16k 9% above U.S. |
$84,375±$34kLowest 5% above U.S. |
| Mapleton and Thetford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $191,800±$23kLowest 42% below U.S. |
$329,500±$96k about the U.S. average |
$422,400±$92kHighest 27% above U.S. |
| Waitsfield and Thetford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277Lowest 57% below U.S. |
$1,141±$96 19% below U.S. |
$1,200±$821Highest 15% below U.S. |
| Waitsfield and Thetford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,789Lowest 43% below U.S. |
$6,948Highest 123% above U.S. |
$6,208 99% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±30.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.4%±30.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Thetford and Waitsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8% U.S.: 12.5% |
6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
25 min 5% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.6%±6.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±6.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Waitsfield and Thetford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #40 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Thetford School District | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.

