Photo: Mfwills · CC BY-SA 3.0Bakersfield spent less per resident in 2022 than 94% of similar towns
Bakersfield’s town government spent $335,000 on day-to-day services in the year to December 31, 2022, about $251 per resident.
What stands out about how Bakersfield is run
Read from the town’s budget and official records.
$251 per resident in 2022: less than 94% of them
Bakersfield’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($251 per resident, hospital and utilities left out) against 83 Vermont towns and townships of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools: the median was $945, and the middle half spent $614–$1,274. Bakersfield spent less than 94% of them.
Includes sewer and trash ($1,000), as the Census Bureau counts them. Later years come from a Census sample, so the comparison stays on 2022. How Town Hall compares budgets →
Vermont towns and townships of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools, 2022 Census of Governments (every government counted that year; Bakersfield itself left out).
About $251 per resident a year, or $0.69 a day
Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: roads & transportation, at 50%.
Thank you for being a neighbor
Revenue is well above spending. That usually means Bakersfield collects property taxes for the school district and county and passes them on, so only its own spending is counted.
No trend yet
Bakersfield reported only 2022 to the Census Bureau, so there is no trend yet.
full-time in March 2025, the same as 3 in 2022. Both are Census estimates.
The typical homeowner pays $3,823 a year
Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 1.41% of the home’s value, vs 1.59% across Vermont.
Typical yearly bill next door and statewide
The Housing page’s calculator splits a monthly payment into loan, tax and insurance at Bakersfield’s rate.
Can I afford it? →The median bill homeowners report to the Census survey (bills of $10,000+ are reported as “$10,000+”). The effective rate is that bill ÷ the median home value: a rough guide, not the official tax rate. In a town this small the estimate has a wide margin.
Tax bills are one input to Bakersfield’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Bakersfield →
Most Vermont towns vote on March 2, 2027
Check Bakersfield’s own dates: some towns hold the business session on another day or vote by ballot (SB2).
Bakersfield’s meetings aren’t in our feed yet. The town posts agendas and minutes on its website.
Town website ↗Vermont’s Town Meeting Day is the first Tuesday in March, when towns vote on budgets and elect officers.
Some towns hold the business session on another day, and some vote by ballot (SB2). Check Bakersfield’s site for its warrant and dates.
Who’s in charge in Bakersfield
Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.
One full-time town employee for every 445 residents
On the payroll in March 2025, from the Census Bureau’s Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll (a Census estimate). Residents: the Census population in the 2022 finance file (1,336).
By department full-time, plus part-time, March 2025
The Census reports one month’s payroll (March); yearly figures are that month × 12, an estimate. Part-timers count half in the bar lengths.
Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District 85
Bakersfield’s elementary school district, shared with Berkshire, Montgomery, Sheldon. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.
Of the $15,856 per pupil, $10,827 goes to the classroom (teachers, aides, supplies); the rest to buses, buildings, counselors and administration. Building projects and debt payments aren’t in the per-pupil figure.
Vermont districts overall: 5% local, 89% state, 6% federal.
School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.
How Bakersfield voted in 2024
Official results for Bakersfield’s own voters, as certified after the November 5, 2024 general election, with the county and the state beside them.
Kamala D HarrisDemocrat54.2%415 votes
Donald J TrumpRepublican41.9%321 votesOthers: 3.9% (30 votes).
Most votes in Bakersfield: Kamala D Harris
Franklin County: Harris 49.7%, Trump 46.7% · Vermont: Harris 63.8%, Trump 32.3%
of Bakersfield’s 958 adult citizens voted for president in 2024. Across Vermont: 71%.
Votes ÷ citizens of voting age (Census CVAP, 2020–24 ACS).
Most votes in Bakersfield: Bernie Sanders
Franklin County: Sanders 50.3%, Malloy 45.5% · Vermont: Sanders 63.2%, Malloy 32.1%
Most votes in Bakersfield: Phil Scott
Franklin County: Scott 82.8%, Charlestin 12.4% · Vermont: Scott 73.4%, Charlestin 21.8%
Most votes in the district: Becca Balint
Whole-district result
President, 2024: Bakersfield, its county and the state
| Harris | Trump | Others | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bakersfield | 54.2% | 41.9% | 3.9% | 766 |
| Franklin County | 49.7% | 46.7% | 3.6% | 26,743 |
| Vermont | 63.8% | 32.3% | 3.9% | 369,422 |
Official 2024 general election returns, as certified (MIT Election Data + Science Lab). Percentages are of votes for candidates; blank and spoiled ballots aren’t counted. Candidates are listed by votes, and party colors are neutral on purpose.
Portraits: Kamala D Harris: official vice-presidential portrait, Lawrence Jackson, The White House, 2021; Donald J Trump: official portrait, Shealah Craighead, The White House, 2017. All are U.S. government works in the public domain. A race shows photos only when every candidate has an official portrait; otherwise every candidate in it gets initials.
From town hall to Washington
Every level of government that speaks for Bakersfield.
- 1Your townTown governmentOfficials: townofbakersfield.org ↗
- 2Vermont HouseState representatives
- 3Vermont SenateState senator
- 4GovernorStatewide
- 5U.S. HouseYour representative in Congress
- 6U.S. SenateBoth represent all of Vermont
Democrat · Republican · other or independent. Tap a name for their official page.
How Bakersfield compares with the towns next door
Bakersfield spent $251 per resident in 2022; the 2 neighbors that reported 2022 spent $899 to $1,055. Towns that run more services spend more. Tap a town to see its page.
| Town | Day-to-day, per resident (2022) | Tax bill |
|---|---|---|
| Fairfield | $899 | $4,816 |
| Belvidere | $1,055 | $3,908 |
| Enosburgh | estimate | $3,624 |
| Waterville | estimate | $3,957 |
| Fletcher | estimate | $4,965 |
| Montgomery | estimate | $4,326 |
| Bakersfield | $251 | $3,823 |
Day-to-day spending in 2022, the last year every government was counted, for governments that reported it; hospital and utilities left out. Tax bill: the typical homeowner’s bill (Census ACS, 2020–24).
Reach Bakersfield’s government
The official site has phone numbers, hours and forms. Neighbors add the rest to the Handbook.
Questions about Bakersfield’s government
How much does Bakersfield spend per resident?
About $251 per resident on day-to-day services in the year to December 31, 2022, as reported to the Census Bureau. In 2022, the last full count, its $251 was less than 94% of 83 Vermont towns and townships of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools.
What is the property tax rate in Bakersfield?
Homeowners report a typical bill of $3,823 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 1.41% of the typical home’s value, vs 1.59% across Vermont. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see townofbakersfield.org.
Who runs Bakersfield’s government?
See townofbakersfield.org for current officials. We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Bakersfield yet.
How did Bakersfield vote in 2024?
For president, Kamala D Harris 54.2%, Donald J Trump 41.9% (766 votes, official results). Franklin County: Harris 49.7%, Trump 46.7%. Vermont: Harris 63.8%, Trump 32.3%.
How many people work for Bakersfield?
3 full-time and 6 part-time employees in March 2025, with a March payroll of $24,547 (about $294,564 a year if every month were the same); Census Bureau estimates.
Who represents Bakersfield in the state legislature?
State Senate District Franklin (Bob Norris and Randy Brock) and State House District Franklin-6 (James Gregoire). The House district also covers two neighboring towns. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.
When is town meeting in Bakersfield?
Most Vermont towns vote on the first Tuesday in March (March 2, 2027). Some hold the business session on another day or vote by ballot (SB2), so check townofbakersfield.org for Bakersfield’s own dates.
Ask neighbors about Bakersfield’s government
Neighbors who’ve been to the meetings can help.
Budget and staff: U.S. Census Bureau, Census of Governments (2022, every government) and Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023–24, a sample) and the Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll; day-to-day spending is current operations, with hospitals, utilities and airports apart. School district: Census school finance survey, 2023–24. Property tax: Census American Community Survey, 2020–24. Elections: official 2024 returns via the MIT Election Data + Science Lab; turnout uses Census citizen voting-age population (CVAP, 2020–24). Officials: Open States, names shown only with a current term (checked October 9, 2026). Districts: Census Bureau (119th Congress, 2024 state districts); legislators: Open States and congress-legislators. How Town Hall works →