What stands out worked out from the figures below

Walden has the most affordable homes ($239k median).

Newfields has the most expensive homes ($646k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Walden	Newfields
People
Population	1,037Lowest	2,023Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+5.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	48.8±3.2Highest 25% above U.S.	44.1±1.8Lowest 13% above U.S.
	Walden and Newfields are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	14.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22%	18.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22%
	Newfields and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	20.4%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2%	13.6%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	26.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	68.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	7.5%±7.2Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Newfields 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±$15kLowest 9% above U.S.	$197,885±$15kHighest 145% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$238,900±$23kLowest 28% below U.S.	$646,400±$34kHighest 94% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$900±$136Lowest 36% below U.S.	$1,875±$323Highest 33% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,944Lowest 26% above U.S.	$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	56.3%±86.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%	43.3%±40.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Walden and Newfields are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	9.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	93.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	95.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1983Lowest 3 yrs newer than U.S.	1991Highest 11 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minHighest about the U.S. average	26 minLowest about the U.S. average
Work from home	21.4%±6.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	25.5%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Newfields 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	Newfields School District
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.