What stands out worked out from the figures below

Wilder has the most kids (11.8% under 18).

Waitsfield has the most people working from home (31%).

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	Waitsfield
People
Population	3,087Highest	193Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+81.7% VT: +2.8%	—
Median age	45.5±8.9Lowest 6% above VT	74.8±13.4Highest 74% above VT
Kids under 18	11.8%±4.1Highest VT: 17.9%	0%±14.7Lowest VT: 17.9%
	Wilder and Waitsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	27.3%±4.4Lowest VT: 21.4%	71.5%±17.2Highest VT: 21.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	60.2%Lowest VT: 43.8%	71.3%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	8.1%±3.9Highest VT: 7%	5.2%±9.1Lowest VT: 7%
	Wilder and Waitsfield 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	$26,384±$5kLowest 68% below VT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$273,200±$18kLowest 14% below VT	$453,100±$98kHighest 43% above VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,142±$451 7% below VT	—
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,505Highest 9% above VT	$4,688Lowest 7% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	39.9%±17.2Lowest VT: 48.4%	41.1%±49.6Highest VT: 48.4%
	Waitsfield and Wilder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	9.3%Highest VT: 10.1%	3.1%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	62.9%Highest VT: 73.2%	33.8%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT	1975Lowest 1 yr older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	17 minHighest 29% below VT	14 minLowest 40% below VT
Work from home	12.6%±6.7Lowest VT: 16.9%	31%±23.9Highest VT: 16.9%
	Waitsfield 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.