Compare towns
Walden vs Barnet vs Wells
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Walden has the highest household income ($88k).
Barnet has the most people working from home (55%).
Wells has the most expensive homes ($243k median).
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 | Walden | Barnet | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,037 |
61Lowest |
1,148Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | +5.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 48.8±3.2Lowest 13% above VT |
62.2±45.8Highest 44% above VT |
50.7±5.2 18% above VT |
| Barnet and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.3%±3.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
31.1%±29.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
15.1%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Barnet and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
36.1%±44.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
24.5%±2.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Barnet and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.4%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
59.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
29.7% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±2.1Highest VT: 7% |
0%±23.2Lowest 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 | $88,000±$15kHighest 8% above VT |
$57,917±$16kLowest 29% below VT |
$75,417±$11k 7% below VT |
| Walden and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $238,900±$23k 25% below VT |
$204,200±$38kLowest 36% below VT |
$243,000±$42kHighest 23% below VT |
| Wells and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $900±$136Lowest 27% below VT |
— | $1,313±$282Highest 6% above VT |
| Wells and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,944Highest 22% below VT |
$2,950Lowest 41% below VT |
$3,308 34% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.3%±86.8Lowest 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 | 9.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
47.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
15.5% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.8% VT: 73.2% |
100%Highest VT: 73.2% |
93.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 10% above VT |
— | 48 minHighest 102% above VT |
| Work from home | 21.4%±6.7 VT: 16.9% |
55%±29Highest VT: 16.9% |
11.3%±6.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Barnet 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 | — | Wells Spring Unified Union School District #69 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.