What stands out worked out from the figures below

Wells River has the oldest population (median age 42.7).

Hancock has the most people working from home (11.7%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Wells River	Hancock
People
Population	340Lowest	435Highest
Median age	42.7±12.7Highest about the VT average	33.8±11.6Lowest 22% below VT
	Wells River and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	17.1%±6.5Lowest VT: 17.9%	17.2%±5.8Highest VT: 17.9%
	Hancock and Wells River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.4%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4%	19.8%±3.6Highest VT: 21.4%
	Hancock and Wells River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	16.3%Lowest VT: 43.8%	34.3%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	0.6%±3.1Lowest VT: 7%	3.7%±3.6Highest VT: 7%
	Hancock and Wells River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$38,688±$5kLowest 52% below VT	$76,250±$34kHighest 6% below VT
	Hancock and Wells River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$170,800±$103kLowest 46% below VT	$187,900±$11kHighest 41% below VT
	Hancock and Wells River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$900±$336Lowest 27% below VT	$939±$19Highest 24% below VT
	Hancock and Wells River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,154Highest 18% below VT	$3,511Lowest 30% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	47.6%±14.8Highest VT: 48.4%	3.5%±16.9Lowest VT: 48.4%
Below poverty line	38.8%Highest VT: 10.1%	5.6%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	47.9%Lowest VT: 73.2%	59.5%Highest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT	1972Highest 4 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	34 minHighest 43% above VT	28 minLowest 17% above VT
Work from home	5.2%±9.3Lowest VT: 16.9%	11.7%±5Highest VT: 16.9%
	Hancock and Wells River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.