Compare towns
Walden vs Castleton vs Burke 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).
Castleton has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Burke has the most expensive homes ($341k median).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.6%).
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 | Walden | Castleton | Burke | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,037Lowest |
4,453Highest |
1,317 |
1,148 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.2% VT: +2.8% |
-5.5% VT: +2.8% |
-5.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+5.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 48.8±3.2 13% above VT |
38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
41.1±4.8 5% below VT |
50.7±5.2Highest 18% above VT |
| Wells and Walden 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% |
18.8%±6.4 VT: 17.9% |
23%±4Highest VT: 17.9% |
15.1%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Burke and Castleton 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% |
20.7%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
21.7%±2.2 VT: 21.4% |
24.5%±2.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Wells and Burke 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% |
37.9% VT: 43.8% |
41.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
29.7% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±2.1 VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
3.6%±2.3 VT: 7% |
3%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $88,000±$15kHighest 8% above VT |
$73,854±$23kLowest 9% below VT |
$87,143±$17k 7% above VT |
$75,417±$11k 7% below VT |
| Walden and Burke 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 |
$224,800±$71kLowest 29% below VT |
$340,600±$18kHighest 8% above VT |
$243,000±$42k 23% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $900±$136Lowest 27% below VT |
$1,137±$195 8% below VT |
$938±$191 24% below VT |
$1,313±$282Highest 6% above VT |
| Wells and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,944 22% below VT |
$3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$5,177Highest about the VT average |
$3,308 34% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.3%±86.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9 VT: 48.4% |
74.6%±31Highest VT: 48.4% |
62.5%±100 VT: 48.4% |
| Burke and Castleton 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% |
12.5% VT: 10.1% |
10% VT: 10.1% |
15.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.6% VT: 73.2% |
93.4% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
1974Lowest 2 yrs older than VT |
1981 5 yrs newer than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 10% above VT |
19 minLowest 17% below VT |
25 min 8% above VT |
48 minHighest 102% above VT |
| Work from home | 21.4%±6.7 VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
23.4%±6.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
11.3%±6.2 VT: 16.9% |
| Burke and Walden 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 | — | #39 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 | Wells Spring Unified Union School District #69 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.