Compare towns
Wheelock vs Bethel 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%).
Bethel has the most renters (16.4% 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 | Bethel | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 717Lowest |
1,736Highest |
1,148 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-4.3% VT: +2.8% |
+5.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 51±5.6Highest 18% above VT |
50.7±3.7Lowest 18% above VT |
50.7±5.2Lowest 18% above VT |
| Wheelock and Bethel 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% |
11.4%±3.1Lowest 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% |
25.5%±3.7 VT: 21.4% |
24.5%±2.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Wheelock and Bethel 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% |
35.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
29.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±2.3 VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
3%±2.1Highest 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 | $64,792±$20kLowest 20% below VT |
$75,822±$7kHighest 7% below VT |
$75,417±$11k 7% below VT |
| Bethel and Wells 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 |
$238,000±$41k 25% below VT |
$243,000±$42kHighest 23% below VT |
| Wells and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,335±$220Highest 8% above VT |
$1,313±$282Lowest 6% above VT |
| Bethel and Wells 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 |
$5,168Highest about the VT average |
$3,308 34% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
54%±22 VT: 48.4% |
62.5%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Wells and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.7% VT: 10.1% |
8.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
15.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
83.6%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
93.4% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 13 yrs newer than VT |
1966Lowest 10 yrs older than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 17% above VT |
28 min 19% above VT |
48 minHighest 102% above VT |
| Work from home | 21.1%±16Highest VT: 16.9% |
7.1%±3.1Lowest 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 | |||
| School district | — | White River Unified School District #79 | Wells Spring Unified Union School District #69 |
| High school 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.