Compare towns
Wells vs Middlebury vs Walden
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wells has the most kids (15.1% under 18).
Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).
Walden has the most people working from home (21.4%).
Middlebury is a college town. 40.9% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Middlebury | Walden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,148 |
7,220Highest |
1,037Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.6% VT: +2.8% |
+10.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+2.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 50.7±5.2Highest 18% above VT |
23.7±1.3Lowest 45% below VT |
48.8±3.2 13% above VT |
| Wells and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.1%±4.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
8.5%±1.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
14.3%±3.9 VT: 17.9% |
| Wells and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.5%±2.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.8%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
20.4%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Wells and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.7% VT: 43.8% |
61.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
26.4%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
40.9%±2.3Highest VT: 7% |
4%±2.1 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $75,417±$11kLowest 7% below VT |
$86,250±$18k 6% above VT |
$88,000±$15kHighest 8% above VT |
| Walden and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $243,000±$42k 23% below VT |
$417,400±$31kHighest 32% above VT |
$238,900±$23kLowest 25% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,313±$282Highest 6% above VT |
$1,201±$120 about the VT average |
$900±$136Lowest 27% below VT |
| Wells and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,308Lowest 34% below VT |
$6,795Highest 35% above VT |
$3,944 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.5%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
56.6%±15.8 VT: 48.4% |
56.3%±86.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Wells and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
15.2% VT: 10.1% |
9.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.4% VT: 73.2% |
56.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
93.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 1 yr newer than VT |
1977Lowest 1 yr newer than VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 48 minHighest 102% above VT |
15 minLowest 38% below VT |
26 min 10% above VT |
| Work from home | 11.3%±6.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
19.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
21.4%±6.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Walden and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #17 of 70 in VT | — |
| 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 | 6 photos → | 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.