Compare towns
Cornish vs Hardwick vs Walden vs Lyndeborough
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cornish has the oldest population (median age 54).
Hardwick has the most affordable homes ($185k median).
Walden has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.2%).
Lyndeborough has the most expensive homes ($391k median).
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 | Cornish | Hardwick | Walden | Lyndeborough |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,816 |
2,965Highest |
1,037Lowest |
1,616 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S. |
47.1±7.4Lowest 21% above U.S. |
48.8±3.2 25% above U.S. |
50±3.2 29% above U.S. |
| Cornish and Lyndeborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.4%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
15.8%±4.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14.9%±5.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Hardwick and Lyndeborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 27.3%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
27%±5.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Cornish and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
26.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Walden and Lyndeborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,821±$2k 14% above U.S. |
$92,297±$17k 14% above U.S. |
$88,000±$15kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$116,964±$17kHighest 45% above U.S. |
| Lyndeborough and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $296,000±$69k 11% below U.S. |
$184,700±$39kLowest 44% below U.S. |
$238,900±$23k 28% below U.S. |
$390,900±$26kHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Lyndeborough and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,221±$227 14% below U.S. |
$875±$406Lowest 38% below U.S. |
$900±$136 36% below U.S. |
$1,482±$457Highest 5% above U.S. |
| Lyndeborough and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,796 86% above U.S. |
$4,351 39% above U.S. |
$3,944Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$7,133Highest 129% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.5%±38.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±41.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.3%±86.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.9%±90 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Walden and Lyndeborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
76.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1962Lowest 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
29 min 10% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
39 minHighest 48% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.8%±6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.4%±6.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.7%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Walden and Lyndeborough 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 | Cornish School District | Mountain View Union Elementary School District #94 · Hazen Union High School District #26 | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 | Wilton-Lyndeborough Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Hazen Union High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.6 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.