Compare towns
Clarendon vs Hardwick vs Brandon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Clarendon has the shortest commute (16 min average).
Hardwick has the highest household income ($92k).
Brandon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.1%).
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 | Clarendon | Hardwick | Brandon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,460Lowest |
2,965 |
4,120Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3% VT: +2.8% |
+4.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 52.3±4.1Highest 21% above VT |
47.1±7.4Lowest 9% above VT |
50.1±3.1 16% above VT |
| Clarendon and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±5.1 VT: 17.9% |
15.8%±4.4Lowest VT: 17.9% |
19.2%±4.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Brandon and Clarendon 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%±5.9 VT: 21.4% |
22.3%±4.1Lowest 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% |
32.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.1%±1Lowest VT: 7% |
2.4%±2.4 VT: 7% |
2.5%±1.7Highest VT: 7% |
| Brandon and Hardwick 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 |
$64,180±$12k 21% below VT |
| Hardwick and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $220,900±$32k 30% below VT |
$184,700±$39kLowest 42% below VT |
$227,800±$23kHighest 28% below VT |
| Brandon and Clarendon 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 |
$1,064±$225 14% below VT |
| Clarendon and Brandon 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 |
$4,241 16% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.4%±27.1 VT: 48.4% |
48.6%±41.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
41.7%±15.1Lowest 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% VT: 10.1% |
14.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
76.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
84.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Highest 5 yrs older than VT |
1962 14 yrs older than VT |
1951Lowest 25 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 16 minLowest 33% below VT |
29 minHighest 23% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 9.1%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
11.8%±6Highest VT: 16.9% |
9.9%±5.7 VT: 16.9% |
| Hardwick and Brandon 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 | #69 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 | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 |
| High school in town | Mill River Union High School | Hazen Union High School | Otter Valley Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.4 |
8.6Lowest |
9.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.