What stands out worked out from the figures below

Colchester has the most people working from home (19%).

Hartford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.4%).

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	Colchester	Hartford
People
Population	17,648Highest	10,736Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.7%Lowest VT: +2.8%	+7.4%Highest VT: +2.8%
Median age	39.3±1.4Lowest 9% below VT	43.2±3.9Highest about the VT average
	Hartford and Colchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19.1%±2.5Highest VT: 17.9%	18%±3Lowest VT: 17.9%
	Colchester and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	17.9%±2.1Lowest VT: 21.4%	22.5%±3.3Highest VT: 21.4%
	Hartford and Colchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	40.8%Lowest VT: 43.8%	47.6%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	10.9%±1.3Highest VT: 7%	4.9%±1.7Lowest VT: 7%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$97,891±$9kHighest 21% above VT	$78,125±$7kLowest 4% below VT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$394,400±$25kHighest 25% above VT	$304,500±$26kLowest 4% below VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,474±$122Highest 19% above VT	$1,218±$118Lowest about the VT average
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,471Lowest 9% above VT	$5,773Highest 15% above VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	46.2%±10.6Highest VT: 48.4%	44.6%±12.7Lowest VT: 48.4%
	Colchester and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7%Lowest VT: 10.1%	11.1%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	74.1%Highest VT: 73.2%	67.8%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT	1979Lowest 3 yrs newer than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	20 minHighest 15% below VT	18 minLowest 22% below VT
Work from home	19%±3.9Highest VT: 16.9%	13.9%±3.5Lowest VT: 16.9%
	Colchester and Hartford 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	#18 of 70 in VT	#34 of 70 in VT
School district	Colchester School District	Hartford School District
High school in town	Colchester High School	Hartford High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.8Highest	9.6Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.