Compare towns
Waterville vs Wells vs Bakersfield
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 kids (20.4% under 18).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.6%).
Bakersfield has the most people working from home (14.2%).
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 | Wells | Bakersfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 680Lowest |
1,148Highest |
1,109 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% VT: +2.8% |
+5.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 49.1±8.2 14% above VT |
50.7±5.2Highest 18% above VT |
46.4±8Lowest 8% 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%±8.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
15.1%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
13.6%±3.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Waterville and Wells 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% |
24.5%±2.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.2%±3.9 VT: 21.4% |
| Wells and Bakersfield 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% |
29.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
39.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±3.3 VT: 7% |
3%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
7.5%±4.7Highest 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 |
$75,417±$11k 7% below VT |
$83,462±$18kHighest about the VT average |
| Bakersfield 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 |
$243,000±$42k 23% below VT |
$271,300±$19kHighest 14% below VT |
| Bakersfield and Wells 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 |
$1,313±$282Highest 6% above VT |
$1,200±$327 about the VT average |
| Wells and Bakersfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,957Highest 21% below VT |
$3,308Lowest 34% below VT |
$3,823 24% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.6%±27.2 VT: 48.4% |
62.5%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
18.8%±100Lowest 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% |
15.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
93.4% VT: 73.2% |
94%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 38 min 60% above VT |
48 minHighest 102% above VT |
33 minLowest 40% above VT |
| Work from home | 8.5%±3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
11.3%±6.2 VT: 16.9% |
14.2%±7Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Bakersfield and Wells 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 | Wells Spring Unified Union School District #69 | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 |
| 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.