Compare towns
Walden vs Chester 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 most people working from home (21.4%).
Chester has the most renters (13.3% rent).
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 | Chester | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,037Lowest |
2,992Highest |
1,148 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.2% VT: +2.8% |
-4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+5.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 48.8±3.2Lowest 13% above VT |
49.7±4.7 15% above VT |
50.7±5.2Highest 18% above VT |
| Wells and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.3%±3.9 VT: 17.9% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
15.1%±4.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Wells and Walden 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% |
29.8%±7.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
24.5%±2.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Chester 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% |
33.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
29.7% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±2.1 VT: 7% |
5.1%±4Highest VT: 7% |
3%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Chester and Walden 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 |
$62,125±$8kLowest 23% 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 |
$232,900±$44kLowest 26% 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 |
$960±$44 22% below VT |
$1,313±$282Highest 6% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,944 22% below VT |
$4,262Highest 15% below VT |
$3,308Lowest 34% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.3%±86.8 VT: 48.4% |
11.5%±12.3Lowest 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% VT: 10.1% |
7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
15.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
86.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
93.4% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 10% above VT |
28 min 18% above VT |
48 minHighest 102% above VT |
| Work from home | 21.4%±6.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
14%±6.9 VT: 16.9% |
11.3%±6.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Walden and Chester 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 | — | #49 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | Wells Spring Unified Union School District #69 |
| High school in town | None in town | Green Mountain Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.7 |
— |
| 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.