Compare towns
Waterville vs Bakersfield vs Brookline
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Waterville has the most affordable homes ($236k median).
Bakersfield has the most homeowners (94%).
Brookline has the most people working from home (20.6%).
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 | Waterville | Bakersfield | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 680 |
1,109Highest |
531Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 49.1±8.2Highest 14% above VT |
46.4±8 8% above VT |
45.1±2.7Lowest 5% above VT |
| Waterville and Bakersfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.4%±8.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.6%±3.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
20%±6 VT: 17.9% |
| Waterville and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.4%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21.2%±3.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.6%±4.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Bakersfield and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
39.2% VT: 43.8% |
41.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±3.3 VT: 7% |
7.5%±4.7Highest VT: 7% |
3.2%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
| Bakersfield and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,250±$27kLowest 12% below VT |
$83,462±$18kHighest about the VT average |
$80,833±$16k about the VT average |
| Bakersfield and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $236,300±$15kLowest 25% below VT |
$271,300±$19k 14% below VT |
$290,700±$37kHighest 8% below VT |
| Brookline and Bakersfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,110±$93Lowest 10% below VT |
$1,200±$327 about the VT average |
$1,732±$232Highest 40% above VT |
| Brookline and Bakersfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,957 21% below VT |
$3,823Lowest 24% below VT |
$5,000Highest about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.6%±27.2 VT: 48.4% |
18.8%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
47.8%±94.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Brookline and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
7.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
6.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
94%Highest VT: 73.2% |
84.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 60% above VT |
33 min 40% above VT |
28 minLowest 21% above VT |
| Work from home | 8.5%±3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
14.2%±7 VT: 16.9% |
20.6%±5.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Brookline and Bakersfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Lamoille North Modified Union School District #058A | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| 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.