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