Compare towns
Bath vs Hardwick vs Walden vs Ryegate
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 the shortest commute (26 min average).
Hardwick has the most affordable homes ($185k median).
Walden has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.2%).
Ryegate has the youngest population (median age 41.2).
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 | Walden | Ryegate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,097 |
2,965Highest |
1,037Lowest |
1,059 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.6±8.6 25% above U.S. |
47.1±7.4 21% above U.S. |
48.8±3.2Highest 25% above U.S. |
41.2±2.6Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Walden and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±5.8 U.S.: 22% |
15.8%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
14.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Ryegate and Bath 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% |
20.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±1.5 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
33.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
29.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Walden 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±$22k 16% below U.S. |
$92,297±$17kHighest 14% above U.S. |
$88,000±$15k 9% above U.S. |
$66,484±$15kLowest 18% below 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 | $234,400±$23k 30% below U.S. |
$184,700±$39kLowest 44% below U.S. |
$238,900±$23kHighest 28% below U.S. |
$219,300±$32k 34% below U.S. |
| Walden 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. |
$900±$136 36% below U.S. |
$908±$236 36% below U.S. |
| Bath and Ryegate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,413Highest 41% above U.S. |
$4,351 39% above U.S. |
$3,944 26% above U.S. |
$3,472Lowest 11% 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% |
56.3%±86.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±29.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Walden and Ryegate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
14.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
76.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1949Lowest 31 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 10% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.8%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.4%±6.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.2%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Walden and Hardwick 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 | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 | — |
| 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 | 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.