Compare towns
Waterville vs Fairfield vs Wells
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 renters (20.1% rent).
Fairfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.1%).
Wells has the most people working from home (11.3%).
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 | Fairfield | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 680Lowest |
1,938Highest |
1,148 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+8.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+5.6% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 49.1±8.2 14% above VT |
42.3±2.7Lowest about the VT average |
50.7±5.2Highest 18% above VT |
| Wells and Waterville 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% |
25.4%±5Highest VT: 17.9% |
15.1%±4.2Lowest 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% |
14.3%±1.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
24.5%±2.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
30.2% VT: 43.8% |
29.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±3.3Highest VT: 7% |
3.5%±1.6 VT: 7% |
3%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Waterville and Fairfield 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 |
$87,019±$22kHighest 7% above VT |
$75,417±$11k 7% below VT |
| Fairfield and Wells 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 |
$320,600±$22kHighest about the VT average |
$243,000±$42k 23% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,110±$93 10% below VT |
$1,056±$441Lowest 14% below VT |
$1,313±$282Highest 6% above VT |
| Wells 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 |
$4,816Highest 4% below VT |
$3,308Lowest 34% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.6%±27.2 VT: 48.4% |
29.2%±20.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
62.5%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Wells 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% |
5.1% VT: 10.1% |
15.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.5% VT: 73.2% |
93.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 38 min 60% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
48 minHighest 102% above VT |
| Work from home | 8.5%±3 VT: 16.9% |
7.8%±3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
11.3%±6.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Wells 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 | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 | Wells Spring Unified Union School District #69 |
| 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.