What stands out worked out from the figures below

Arlington has the most people working from home (35.9%).

Hartford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.4%).

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	Arlington	Hartford
People
Population	2,598Lowest	10,736Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6%Lowest VT: +2.8%	+7.4%Highest VT: +2.8%
Median age	37.6±4Lowest 13% below VT	43.2±3.9Highest about the VT average
	Hartford and Arlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20.6%±3.9Highest VT: 17.9%	18%±3Lowest VT: 17.9%
	Arlington and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	20.7%±3.2Lowest VT: 21.4%	22.5%±3.3Highest VT: 21.4%
	Hartford and Arlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	55.9%Highest VT: 43.8%	47.6%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.3%±1.7Lowest VT: 7%	4.9%±1.7Highest VT: 7%
	Hartford and Arlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$102,308±$11kHighest 26% above VT	$78,125±$7kLowest 4% below VT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$318,500±$59kHighest about the VT average	$304,500±$26kLowest 4% below VT
	Arlington and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,191±$172Lowest 3% below VT	$1,218±$118Highest about the VT average
	Hartford and Arlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,549Lowest 10% below VT	$5,773Highest 15% above VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	77.1%±9.5Highest VT: 48.4%	44.6%±12.7Lowest VT: 48.4%
Below poverty line	7.5%Lowest VT: 10.1%	11.1%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	84%Highest VT: 73.2%	67.8%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1966Lowest 10 yrs older than VT	1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	20 minHighest 13% below VT	18 minLowest 22% below VT
Work from home	35.9%±10.8Highest VT: 16.9%	13.9%±3.5Lowest VT: 16.9%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#50 of 70 in VT	#34 of 70 in VT
School district	Arlington School District	Hartford School District
High school in town	Arlington Memorial	Hartford High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.6Highest	9.6Lowest
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.