Compare towns
Wheelock vs Barre vs Wells
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wheelock has the most people working from home (21.1%).
Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.6%).
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 | Wheelock | Barre | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 717Lowest |
8,412Highest |
1,148 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-6.2% VT: +2.8% |
+5.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 51±5.6Highest 18% above VT |
42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
50.7±5.2 18% above VT |
| Wheelock and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±3.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
15.1%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Wheelock and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.4%±4.7Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
24.5%±2.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Wheelock and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.9% VT: 43.8% |
36.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
29.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±2.3Lowest VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9Highest VT: 7% |
3%±2.1 VT: 7% |
| Barre and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $64,792±$20kLowest 20% below VT |
$65,625±$7k 19% below VT |
$75,417±$11kHighest 7% below VT |
| Wells and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $189,600±$37kLowest 40% below VT |
$210,400±$15k 34% below VT |
$243,000±$42kHighest 23% below VT |
| Wells and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,093±$58Lowest 11% below VT |
$1,313±$282Highest 6% above VT |
| Wells and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,937Lowest 42% below VT |
$5,192Highest 3% above VT |
$3,308 34% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3 VT: 48.4% |
62.5%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Wells and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
17.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
15.5% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
93.4% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 13 yrs newer than VT |
1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 17% above VT |
19 minLowest 21% below VT |
48 minHighest 102% above VT |
| Work from home | 21.1%±16Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
11.3%±6.2 VT: 16.9% |
| Wheelock and Wells 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 | — | #19 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Wells Spring Unified Union School District #69 |
| High school in town | — | Spaulding Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7 |
— |
| 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.