Compare towns
Wells River vs Sheldon vs Ryegate
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wells River has the most renters (52.1% rent).
Sheldon has the most people working from home (13%).
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 | Wells River | Sheldon | Ryegate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 340Lowest |
2,267Highest |
1,059 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -2.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.7±12.7Highest about the VT average |
40.9±3.5Lowest 5% below VT |
41.2±2.6 4% below VT |
| Wells River and Ryegate 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% |
23.7%±3.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
23.2%±4.6 VT: 17.9% |
| Sheldon and Ryegate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
12.6%±2.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
22.1%±1.5Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Ryegate 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% VT: 43.8% |
14.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
29.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.6%±3.1Lowest VT: 7% |
2%±1.3 VT: 7% |
2.4%±1.4Highest VT: 7% |
| Ryegate and Sheldon 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 |
$78,533±$25kHighest 3% below VT |
$66,484±$15k 18% below VT |
| Sheldon and Ryegate 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 |
$272,400±$61kHighest 14% below VT |
$219,300±$32k 31% below VT |
| Sheldon and Ryegate 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 |
$1,286±$379Highest 4% above VT |
$908±$236 26% below VT |
| Sheldon and Ryegate 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 |
$3,578 29% below VT |
$3,472Lowest 31% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.6%±14.8 VT: 48.4% |
0%±27Lowest VT: 48.4% |
55.9%±29.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Ryegate and Wells River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 38.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
14.5% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 47.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
89%Highest VT: 73.2% |
84.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1949 27 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 43% above VT |
25 minLowest 7% above VT |
28 min 18% above VT |
| Work from home | 5.2%±9.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
13%±3.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
8.2%±3.7 VT: 16.9% |
| Sheldon and Ryegate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.