Compare towns
Wells vs West Haven vs Wheelock
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 youngest population (median age 50.7).
West Haven has the highest household income ($85k).
Wheelock has the most people working from home (21.1%).
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 | West Haven | Wheelock |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,148Highest |
234Lowest |
717 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— | -6.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 50.7±5.2Lowest 18% above VT |
54±10.5Highest 25% above VT |
51±5.6 18% above VT |
| West Haven and Wheelock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.1%±4.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±13.3 VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Wheelock and West Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.5%±2.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.9%±4.7Highest VT: 21.4% |
29.4%±4.7 VT: 21.4% |
| West Haven and Wheelock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
30.6% VT: 43.8% |
34.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±2.1Highest VT: 7% |
0.4%±4.4Lowest VT: 7% |
2.8%±2.3 VT: 7% |
| Wells and Wheelock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $75,417±$11k 7% below VT |
$85,250±$29kHighest 5% above VT |
$64,792±$20kLowest 20% below VT |
| West Haven and Wells 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 |
$245,000±$34kHighest 23% below VT |
$189,600±$37kLowest 40% below VT |
| West Haven and Wells 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 |
— | — |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,308 34% below VT |
$4,485Highest 11% below VT |
$2,937Lowest 42% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.5%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Wells and West Haven 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% |
10.3% VT: 10.1% |
8.7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.4% VT: 73.2% |
90.3%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
97.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 1 yr newer than VT |
1978 2 yrs newer than VT |
1989Highest 13 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 48 minHighest 102% above VT |
25 minLowest 8% above VT |
28 min 17% above VT |
| Work from home | 11.3%±6.2 VT: 16.9% |
10.4%±6.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
21.1%±16Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Wheelock 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 | — | — |
| High school 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.