Compare towns
Bath vs Hardwick vs Lempster
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 (0%).
Hardwick has the most affordable homes ($185k median).
Lempster has the most homeowners (98.2%).
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 | Lempster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,097 |
2,965Highest |
953Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.6±8.6 25% above U.S. |
47.1±7.4Lowest 21% above U.S. |
50.8±7.2Highest 31% above U.S. |
| Lempster and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.8%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
12.8%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bath and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
27%±5.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.4%±3.5Lowest 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+ | 26.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Lempster and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $67,813±$22kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$92,297±$17kHighest 14% above U.S. |
$86,607±$12k 7% above U.S. |
| Hardwick and Lempster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $234,400±$23k 30% below U.S. |
$184,700±$39kLowest 44% below U.S. |
$241,900±$29kHighest 27% below U.S. |
| Lempster and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,438±$309Highest about the U.S. average |
$875±$406Lowest 38% below U.S. |
— |
| Bath and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,413 41% above U.S. |
$4,351Lowest 39% above U.S. |
$4,558Highest 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 5.9%±61.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±41.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
100%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lempster and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
76.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
98.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1962Lowest 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
29 min 10% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.8%±6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
5%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hardwick 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 | — | #68 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Bath School District | Mountain View Union Elementary School District #94 · Hazen Union High School District #26 | Lempster School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Hazen Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.6 |
— |
| 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.