Compare towns
Waterville vs Bakersfield vs Fairfield
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 people working from home (14.2%).
Fairfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.1%).
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 | Fairfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 680Lowest |
1,109 |
1,938Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% VT: +2.8% |
-3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+8.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 49.1±8.2Highest 14% above VT |
46.4±8 8% above VT |
42.3±2.7Lowest about the VT average |
| 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%±8.2 VT: 17.9% |
13.6%±3.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
25.4%±5Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfield and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.4%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
21.2%±3.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
14.3%±1.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bakersfield and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.1% VT: 43.8% |
39.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
30.2%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±3.3 VT: 7% |
7.5%±4.7Highest VT: 7% |
3.5%±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±$18k about the VT average |
$87,019±$22kHighest 7% above VT |
| Fairfield and Bakersfield 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 |
$320,600±$22kHighest about the VT average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,110±$93 10% below VT |
$1,200±$327Highest about the VT average |
$1,056±$441Lowest 14% below VT |
| Bakersfield and Waterville 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 |
$4,816Highest 4% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.6%±27.2Highest VT: 48.4% |
18.8%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
29.2%±20.4 VT: 48.4% |
| Waterville and Fairfield 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% |
5.1% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
94%Highest VT: 73.2% |
88.5% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
1982 6 yrs newer than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 60% above VT |
33 min 40% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 8.5%±3 VT: 16.9% |
14.2%±7Highest VT: 16.9% |
7.8%±3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Bakersfield and Waterville 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 | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 |
| High school in town | None 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.