Compare towns
Summit vs Walden vs Jefferson
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Summit has the most kids (17.7% under 18).
Walden has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.2%).
Jefferson has the most people working from home (23.6%).
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.
| Measure | Summit | Walden | Jefferson |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 976Lowest |
1,037 |
1,226Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 55.7±7.3Highest 43% above U.S. |
48.8±3.2Lowest 25% above U.S. |
53.9±5.2 39% above U.S. |
| Summit and Jefferson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
12.2%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Summit and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 37.7%±8.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.8%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Summit and Jefferson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
26.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
29%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Walden and Jefferson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,375±$26k 8% below U.S. |
$88,000±$15kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$67,083±$9kLowest 17% below U.S. |
| Walden and Summit are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $150,000±$29kLowest 55% below U.S. |
$238,900±$23kHighest 28% below U.S. |
$186,900±$42k 44% below U.S. |
| Walden and Jefferson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $900±$136 36% below U.S. |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,230Lowest 29% below U.S. |
$3,944Highest 26% above U.S. |
$3,602 15% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.3%±86.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
100%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Jefferson and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
94%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978Lowest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 5.3%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.4%±6.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.6%±10.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Jefferson and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 | — |
| High school 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.