What stands out worked out from the figures below

Wilder has the shortest commute (17 min average).

Waltham has the most people working from home (20.6%).

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.

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

Measure	Wilder	Waltham
People
Population	3,087Highest	452Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+81.7% VT: +2.8%	—
Median age	45.5±8.9Lowest 6% above VT	60.8±7.3Highest 41% above VT
	Waltham and Wilder 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%	12.8%±7.4Highest VT: 17.9%
	Waltham and Wilder 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%	45.4%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	60.2%Highest VT: 43.8%	39%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	8.1%±3.9Highest VT: 7%	3.1%±2.1Lowest VT: 7%
	Wilder and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$75,143±$9kLowest 7% below VT	$97,500±$14kHighest 20% above VT
	Waltham and Wilder 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	$329,700±$51kHighest 4% above VT
	Waltham and Wilder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,142±$451Highest 7% below VT	$1,096±$113Lowest 11% below VT
	Wilder and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,505Lowest 9% above VT	$5,714Highest 13% above VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	39.9%±17.2Highest VT: 48.4%	29.2%±58.6Lowest VT: 48.4%
	Wilder and Waltham 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%	5.3%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	62.9%Lowest VT: 73.2%	86.3%Highest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1983Lowest 7 yrs newer than VT	1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	17 minLowest 29% below VT	28 minHighest 18% above VT
Work from home	12.6%±6.7Lowest VT: 16.9%	20.6%±5.7Highest VT: 16.9%
	Waltham 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.