Compare towns
Wheelock vs Topsham 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%).
Topsham has the most renters (9.7% 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 | Topsham | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 717Lowest |
999 |
1,148Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+2.2% VT: +2.8% |
+5.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 51±5.6Highest 18% above VT |
50.1±5.9Lowest 16% above VT |
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% |
18%±3.4 VT: 17.9% |
15.1%±4.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Wheelock and Topsham 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% |
23.2%±4.8Lowest 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%Highest VT: 43.8% |
28.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
29.7% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±2.3 VT: 7% |
1.7%±1.3Lowest 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 |
$72,308±$60k 11% below VT |
$75,417±$11kHighest 7% below VT |
| Wells and Topsham 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 |
$222,900±$56k 30% below VT |
$243,000±$42kHighest 23% below VT |
| Wells and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $908±$398Lowest 26% below VT |
$1,313±$282Highest 6% above VT |
| Wells and Topsham 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 |
$4,006Highest 21% below VT |
$3,308 34% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
91.9%±28.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
62.5%±100 VT: 48.4% |
| Topsham and Wells 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% |
18.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
15.5% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
90.3%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
93.4% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 13 yrs newer than VT |
1981 5 yrs newer than VT |
1977Lowest 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 17% above VT |
35 min 49% above VT |
48 minHighest 102% above VT |
| Work from home | 21.1%±16Highest VT: 16.9% |
14.2%±5.8 VT: 16.9% |
11.3%±6.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Wheelock and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Waits River Union High District #36 | Wells Spring Unified Union School District #69 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| 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.