Compare towns
Bath vs Hardwick vs Walden
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bath has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3%).
Hardwick has the most affordable homes ($185k median).
Walden has the most homeowners (93.8%).
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 | Bath | Hardwick | Walden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,815Highest |
2,965 |
1,037Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.4±3Lowest 17% above U.S. |
47.1±7.4 21% above U.S. |
48.8±3.2Highest 25% above U.S. |
| Walden and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
15.8%±4.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Hardwick and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
27%±5.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hardwick and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
26.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bath and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $69,390±$12kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$92,297±$17kHighest 14% above U.S. |
$88,000±$15k 9% above U.S. |
| Hardwick and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $310,900±$30kHighest 7% below U.S. |
$184,700±$39kLowest 44% below U.S. |
$238,900±$23k 28% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116Highest 26% below U.S. |
$875±$406Lowest 38% below U.S. |
$900±$136 36% below U.S. |
| Bath and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847Lowest 23% above U.S. |
$4,351Highest 39% above U.S. |
$3,944 26% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±41.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.3%±86.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Walden and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
76.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 10% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.8%±6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.4%±6.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Walden and Bath 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 | #31 of 133 in ME | #68 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Mountain View Union Elementary School District #94 · Hazen Union High School District #26 | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 |
| High school in town | Morse High School | Hazen Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
8.6Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.