Compare towns
Wells vs Meredith vs Walden
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.6%).
Meredith has the most kids (17% under 18).
Walden has the most people working from home (21.4%).
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 | Meredith | Walden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,148 |
1,467Highest |
1,037Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.7±5.2 30% above U.S. |
54.3±4.6Highest 40% above U.S. |
48.8±3.2Lowest 25% above U.S. |
| Meredith and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.1%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
17%±4.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Meredith and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.5%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.8%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
33.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Walden and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $75,417±$11kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$85,938±$16k 6% above U.S. |
$88,000±$15kHighest 9% above U.S. |
| Walden and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $243,000±$42kHighest 27% below U.S. |
$230,600±$24kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$238,900±$23k 28% below U.S. |
| Wells and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,313±$282Highest 7% below U.S. |
$794±$175Lowest 44% below U.S. |
$900±$136 36% below U.S. |
| Wells and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,308Lowest 6% above U.S. |
$3,630 16% above U.S. |
$3,944Highest 26% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.5%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.1%±53.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.3%±86.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Wells and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 48 minHighest 80% above U.S. |
33 min 23% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 11.3%±6.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.1%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.4%±6.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Walden and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Wells Spring Unified Union School District #69 | — | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.