What stands out worked out from the figures below

Wilder has the shortest commute (17 min average).

Kirby has the most kids (30% under 18).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Wilder	Kirby
People
Population	3,087Highest	756Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+81.7% VT: +2.8%	—
Median age	45.5±8.9Highest 6% above VT	38.8±7.1Lowest 10% below VT
	Wilder and Kirby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	11.8%±4.1Lowest VT: 17.9%	30%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9%
Age 65+	27.3%±4.4Highest VT: 21.4%	19.2%±5.1Lowest VT: 21.4%
	Wilder and Kirby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	60.2%Highest VT: 43.8%	32.4%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	8.1%±3.9Highest VT: 7%	4.6%±3.1Lowest VT: 7%
	Wilder and Kirby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$75,143±$9kHighest 7% below VT	$54,792±$21kLowest 33% below VT
	Wilder and Kirby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$273,200±$18kLowest 14% below VT	$302,900±$63kHighest 4% below VT
	Kirby and Wilder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,142±$451Lowest 7% below VT	$1,250±$326Highest about the VT average
	Kirby and Wilder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,505Highest 9% above VT	$4,597Lowest 9% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	39.9%±17.2Highest VT: 48.4%	25%±100Lowest VT: 48.4%
	Wilder and Kirby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	9.3%Lowest VT: 10.1%	21.3%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	62.9%Lowest VT: 73.2%	93.5%Highest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1983Lowest 7 yrs newer than VT	1985Highest 9 yrs newer than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	17 minLowest 29% below VT	34 minHighest 43% above VT
Work from home	12.6%±6.7Lowest VT: 16.9%	20.6%±9.3Highest VT: 16.9%
	Kirby and Wilder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.