Compare towns

Pawlet vs Durham vs Wells

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Pawlet has the most people working from home (20.4%).
Durham has the highest household income ($81k).
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.

MeasurePawletDurhamWells
People
Population
1,480
2,641Highest
1,148Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
-3.6%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
-3.6%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+5.6%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
47.9±7.5Lowest
23% above U.S.
48.8±5.1
25% above U.S.
50.7±5.2Highest
30% above U.S.
Wells and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
20.3%±5.2Highest
U.S.: 22%
18.3%±5.2
U.S.: 22%
15.1%±4.2Lowest
U.S.: 22%
Pawlet and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
27.3%±2.6Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
24.2%±7Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
24.5%±2.2
U.S.: 17.2%
Pawlet and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
37.5%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
28.3%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
29.7%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
4.4%±2.9Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
1.3%±1.2Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
3%±2.1
U.S.: 6.4%
Pawlet and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$62,273±$14kLowest
23% below U.S.
$81,471±$15kHighest
about the U.S. average
$75,417±$11k
7% below U.S.
Durham and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$266,200±$44kHighest
20% below U.S.
$245,300±$26k
26% below U.S.
$243,000±$42kLowest
27% below U.S.
Pawlet and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,153±$215
18% below U.S.
$994±$844Lowest
30% below U.S.
$1,313±$282Highest
7% below U.S.
Wells and Pawlet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$3,924Highest
26% above U.S.
$3,728
20% above U.S.
$3,308Lowest
6% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
42.6%±21.3
U.S.: 51.1%
19.3%±40.8Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
62.5%±100Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
Wells and Pawlet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
10%
U.S.: 12.5%
4.1%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
15.5%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
87.8%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
92%
U.S.: 65.2%
93.4%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1964Lowest
16 yrs older than U.S.
1976
4 yrs older than U.S.
1977Highest
3 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
33 minLowest
25% above U.S.
33 min
27% above U.S.
48 minHighest
80% above U.S.
Work from home
20.4%±8.3Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
13%±7.8
U.S.: 15.1%
11.3%±6.2Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
Pawlet and Durham 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 — #100 of 484 in NY —
School district Mettawee School District #84 CAIRO-DURHAM CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT Wells Spring Unified Union School District #69
High school in town None in town CAIRO-DURHAM HIGH SCHOOL None in town
Students per teacherat that high school —
7.9
—
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.