Compare towns
St. Johnsbury vs Wells vs Wheelock
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
St. Johnsbury has the most renters (40.4% rent).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.6%).
Wheelock has the most people working from home (21.1%).
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 | St. Johnsbury | Wells | Wheelock |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,368Highest |
1,148 |
717Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1% VT: +2.8% |
+5.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-6.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.8±3.8Lowest about the VT average |
50.7±5.2 18% above VT |
51±5.6Highest 18% above VT |
| Wheelock and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21%±2.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
15.1%±4.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.5 VT: 17.9% |
| St. Johnsbury and Wheelock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.1%±3.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
24.5%±2.2 VT: 21.4% |
29.4%±4.7Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Wheelock and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.3% VT: 43.8% |
29.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
34.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±2.2Highest VT: 7% |
3%±2.1 VT: 7% |
2.8%±2.3Lowest VT: 7% |
| St. Johnsbury and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $57,738±$9kLowest 29% below VT |
$75,417±$11kHighest 7% below VT |
$64,792±$20k 20% below VT |
| Wells and Wheelock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $177,700±$17kLowest 44% below VT |
$243,000±$42kHighest 23% below VT |
$189,600±$37k 40% below VT |
| Wells and Wheelock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $914±$44Lowest 26% below VT |
$1,313±$282Highest 6% above VT |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,916Highest 22% below VT |
$3,308 34% below VT |
$2,937Lowest 42% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48%±11 VT: 48.4% |
62.5%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Wells and St. Johnsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
15.5% VT: 10.1% |
8.7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.6%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
93.4% VT: 73.2% |
97.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1944Lowest 32 yrs older than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1989Highest 13 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 17% below VT |
48 minHighest 102% above VT |
28 min 17% above VT |
| Work from home | 17.6%±4.8 VT: 16.9% |
11.3%±6.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
21.1%±16Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Wheelock and St. Johnsbury 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 | #60 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | — | Wells Spring Unified Union School District #69 | — |
| High school 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.