Compare towns
Barton vs Hardwick vs Brighton vs Whiting
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barton has the most people working from home (16.5%).
Hardwick has the most homeowners (76.4%).
Brighton has the most renters (48.9% rent).
Whiting has the most expensive homes ($280k median).
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.
| Measure | Barton | Hardwick | Brighton | Whiting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 730 |
2,965Highest |
1,167 |
532Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-5.3% VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 40±5.5 7% below VT |
47.1±7.4Highest 9% above VT |
45.2±11.6 5% above VT |
39.6±2.7Lowest 8% below VT |
| Hardwick and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 24.1%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
15.8%±4.4Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.3%±5.7 VT: 17.9% |
23.5%±6.9 VT: 17.9% |
| Barton and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.2%±4.2 VT: 21.4% |
27%±5.9 VT: 21.4% |
27.2%±4.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
13%±5.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Brighton and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
33.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
25.9% VT: 43.8% |
25.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
2.4%±2.4 VT: 7% |
4.6%±2.4 VT: 7% |
6.2%±4Highest VT: 7% |
| Whiting and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $40,833±$8kLowest 50% below VT |
$92,297±$17kHighest 14% above VT |
$47,375±$21k 42% below VT |
$91,250±$38k 12% above VT |
| Hardwick and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $146,900±$30kLowest 54% below VT |
$184,700±$39k 42% below VT |
$163,900±$39k 48% below VT |
$280,400±$36kHighest 11% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $761±$150Lowest 38% below VT |
$875±$406 29% below VT |
$775±$33 37% below VT |
$1,204±$519Highest about the VT average |
| Whiting and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,185Lowest 37% below VT |
$4,351Highest 14% below VT |
$3,360 33% below VT |
$4,227 16% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.8%±18.2Highest VT: 48.4% |
48.6%±41.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
55%±17 VT: 48.4% |
58.3%±37.3 VT: 48.4% |
| Barton and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 25.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
9.7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
22% VT: 10.1% |
11.5% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7% VT: 73.2% |
76.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
51.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
65.4% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945Lowest 31 yrs older than VT |
1962 14 yrs older than VT |
1967 9 yrs older than VT |
1975Highest 1 yr older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 32% above VT |
29 min 23% above VT |
33 minHighest 41% above VT |
22 minLowest 7% below VT |
| Work from home | 16.5%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
11.8%±6 VT: 16.9% |
12.4%±8.1 VT: 16.9% |
10%±5.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Barton and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #38 of 70 in VT | #68 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | — | Mountain View Union Elementary School District #94 · Hazen Union High School District #26 | Brighton School District | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 |
| High school in town | — | Hazen Union High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.6 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 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.