Compare towns
Salisbury vs Walden vs Wells
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Salisbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.5%).
Walden has the most people working from home (21.4%).
Wells has the oldest population (median age 50.7).
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 | Salisbury | Walden | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,200Highest |
1,037Lowest |
1,148 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+2.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+5.6% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 50.6±6.5 17% above VT |
48.8±3.2Lowest 13% above VT |
50.7±5.2Highest 18% 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 | 16.6%±3.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.3%±3.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
15.1%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Salisbury and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30.4%±2.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.4%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
24.5%±2.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
26.4%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
29.7% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.6%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
4%±2.1Highest VT: 7% |
3%±2.1 VT: 7% |
| Walden and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $99,688±$21kHighest 23% above VT |
$88,000±$15k 8% above VT |
$75,417±$11kLowest 7% below VT |
| Salisbury and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $306,900±$51kHighest 3% below VT |
$238,900±$23kLowest 25% below VT |
$243,000±$42k 23% below VT |
| Salisbury and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,443±$984Highest 17% above VT |
$900±$136Lowest 27% below VT |
$1,313±$282 6% above VT |
| Salisbury and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,842Highest 4% below VT |
$3,944 22% below VT |
$3,308Lowest 34% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.9%±22.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
56.3%±86.8 VT: 48.4% |
62.5%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Wells and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.3% VT: 10.1% |
15.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
93.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
93.4% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 20% below VT |
26 min 10% above VT |
48 minHighest 102% above VT |
| Work from home | 6%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
21.4%±6.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
11.3%±6.2 VT: 16.9% |
| Walden and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 | Wells Spring Unified Union School District #69 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.