Compare towns
Proctor vs Wells vs Fairfield vs Ryegate
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Proctor has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Wells has the most people working from home (11.3%).
Fairfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.1%).
Ryegate has the youngest population (median age 41.2).
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 | Proctor | Wells | Fairfield | Ryegate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,794 |
1,148 |
1,938Highest |
1,059Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.3% VT: +2.8% |
+5.6% VT: +2.8% |
+8.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.4±6.4 about the VT average |
50.7±5.2Highest 18% above VT |
42.3±2.7 about the VT average |
41.2±2.6Lowest 4% below VT |
| Wells and Proctor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±4.4 VT: 17.9% |
15.1%±4.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
25.4%±5Highest VT: 17.9% |
23.2%±4.6 VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfield and Ryegate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.4%±2.5 VT: 21.4% |
24.5%±2.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
14.3%±1.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
22.1%±1.5 VT: 21.4% |
| Wells and Proctor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
29.7% VT: 43.8% |
30.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
29.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.7Highest VT: 7% |
3%±2.1 VT: 7% |
3.5%±1.6 VT: 7% |
2.4%±1.4Lowest VT: 7% |
| Proctor and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $74,167±$12k 9% below VT |
$75,417±$11k 7% below VT |
$87,019±$22kHighest 7% above VT |
$66,484±$15kLowest 18% below VT |
| Fairfield and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $209,900±$17kLowest 34% below VT |
$243,000±$42k 23% below VT |
$320,600±$22kHighest about the VT average |
$219,300±$32k 31% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,029±$202 17% below VT |
$1,313±$282Highest 6% above VT |
$1,056±$441 14% below VT |
$908±$236Lowest 26% below VT |
| Wells and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,032 20% below VT |
$3,308Lowest 34% below VT |
$4,816Highest 4% below VT |
$3,472 31% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.3%±16.2 VT: 48.4% |
62.5%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
29.2%±20.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
55.9%±29.7 VT: 48.4% |
| Wells and Ryegate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 16.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
15.5% VT: 10.1% |
5.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
14.5% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7% VT: 73.2% |
93.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
88.5% VT: 73.2% |
84.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1949 27 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 6% below VT |
48 minHighest 102% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
28 min 18% above VT |
| Work from home | 9.4%±4.6 VT: 16.9% |
11.3%±6.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
7.8%±3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
8.2%±3.7 VT: 16.9% |
| Wells and Proctor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Quarry Valley Unified Union School District #70 | Wells Spring Unified Union School District #69 | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 | — |
| High school in town | Proctor Junior/Senior High School | None in town | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.7 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.