Compare towns
Wells vs Salisbury vs Bakersfield
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 affordable homes ($243k median).
Salisbury has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Bakersfield has the most people working from home (14.2%).
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 | Salisbury | Bakersfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,148 |
1,200Highest |
1,109Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.6% VT: +2.8% |
+7.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 50.7±5.2Highest 18% above VT |
50.6±6.5 17% above VT |
46.4±8Lowest 8% above VT |
| Wells and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.1%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
16.6%±3.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.6%±3.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Salisbury 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 VT: 21.4% |
30.4%±2.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
34.6% VT: 43.8% |
39.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±2.1 VT: 7% |
1.6%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
7.5%±4.7Highest VT: 7% |
| Bakersfield 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 VT |
$99,688±$21kHighest 23% above VT |
$83,462±$18k about the VT average |
| Salisbury and Bakersfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $243,000±$42kLowest 23% below VT |
$306,900±$51kHighest 3% below VT |
$271,300±$19k 14% below VT |
| Salisbury and Bakersfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,313±$282 6% above VT |
$1,443±$984Highest 17% above VT |
$1,200±$327Lowest about the VT average |
| Salisbury and Wells 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 |
$4,842Highest 4% below VT |
$3,823 24% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.5%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
31.9%±22.6 VT: 48.4% |
18.8%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Wells and Salisbury 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% |
4.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
7.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.4% VT: 73.2% |
88.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
94%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 48 minHighest 102% above VT |
19 minLowest 20% below VT |
33 min 40% above VT |
| Work from home | 11.3%±6.2 VT: 16.9% |
6%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
14.2%±7Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Bakersfield 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 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 |
| 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.