Compare towns
Swanton vs Bakersfield vs Richford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Swanton has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Bakersfield has the most people working from home (14.2%).
Richford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.6%).
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 | Swanton | Bakersfield | Richford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,670Highest |
1,109Lowest |
2,467 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.4% VT: +2.8% |
-3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 37.8±4.7Lowest 12% below VT |
46.4±8Highest 8% above VT |
39±3.6 10% below VT |
| Bakersfield and Richford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24.3%±8.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.6%±3.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21.8%±4 VT: 17.9% |
| Swanton and Richford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±2.7Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21.2%±3.9 VT: 21.4% |
23.4%±4.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Richford and Bakersfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.2%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
39.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
20.8% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.2%±1.7Lowest VT: 7% |
7.5%±4.7Highest VT: 7% |
6.4%±3.6 VT: 7% |
| Bakersfield and Richford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $66,607±$27k 18% below VT |
$83,462±$18kHighest about the VT average |
$56,853±$13kLowest 30% below VT |
| Bakersfield and Swanton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $229,000±$15k 28% below VT |
$271,300±$19kHighest 14% below VT |
$176,600±$16kLowest 44% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,238±$103Highest about the VT average |
$1,200±$327 about the VT average |
$1,160±$66Lowest 6% below VT |
| Swanton and Bakersfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,370Highest 13% below VT |
$3,823 24% below VT |
$3,300Lowest 35% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.1%±21.6 VT: 48.4% |
18.8%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
55.1%±15.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Richford and Swanton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 20.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
19.5% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
94%Highest VT: 73.2% |
70.4% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952 24 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 9% below VT |
33 minHighest 40% above VT |
28 min 18% above VT |
| Work from home | 7.4%±4.8Lowest VT: 16.9% |
14.2%±7Highest VT: 16.9% |
9.8%±3.9 VT: 16.9% |
| Bakersfield and Richford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 | Enosburgh-Richford Unified Union School District #88 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Richford Junior/Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.1 |
| 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.