What stands out worked out from the figures below

Clarendon has the shortest commute (16 min average).

Hardwick has the highest household income ($92k).

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	Clarendon	Hardwick
People
Population	2,460Lowest	2,965Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8%	-3%Highest VT: +2.8%
Median age	52.3±4.1Highest 21% above VT	47.1±7.4Lowest 9% above VT
	Clarendon and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18.6%±5.1Highest VT: 17.9%	15.8%±4.4Lowest VT: 17.9%
	Clarendon and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	27.4%±4.2Highest VT: 21.4%	27%±5.9Lowest VT: 21.4%
	Clarendon and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	25.5%Lowest VT: 43.8%	33.7%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	1.1%±1Lowest VT: 7%	2.4%±2.4Highest VT: 7%
	Hardwick and Clarendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$59,609±$12kLowest 27% below VT	$92,297±$17kHighest 14% above VT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$220,900±$32kHighest 30% below VT	$184,700±$39kLowest 42% below VT
	Clarendon and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,096±$305Highest 11% below VT	$875±$406Lowest 29% below VT
	Clarendon and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,740Lowest 26% below VT	$4,351Highest 14% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	48.4%±27.1Lowest VT: 48.4%	48.6%±41.3Highest VT: 48.4%
	Hardwick and Clarendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6%Lowest VT: 10.1%	9.7%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	84.3%Highest VT: 73.2%	76.4%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1971Highest 5 yrs older than VT	1962Lowest 14 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	16 minLowest 33% below VT	29 minHighest 23% above VT
Work from home	9.1%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9%	11.8%±6Highest VT: 16.9%
	Hardwick and Clarendon 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	Mill River Unified Union School District #52	Mountain View Union Elementary School District #94 · Hazen Union High School District #26
High school in town	Mill River Union High School	Hazen Union High School
Students per teacherat that high school	9.4Highest	8.6Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.