Compare towns
Dalton vs Hardwick vs Lunenburg
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dalton has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Hardwick has the most people working from home (11.8%).
Lunenburg has the most affordable homes ($164k 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 | Dalton | Hardwick | Lunenburg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 916Lowest |
2,965Highest |
1,267 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.5±12.9Lowest 14% above U.S. |
47.1±7.4 21% above U.S. |
51.2±4.2Highest 32% above U.S. |
| Lunenburg and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±11.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.8%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Dalton and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.8%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27%±5.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.1%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hardwick and Lunenburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
33.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
14.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±4.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.6%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dalton and Lunenburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,429±$36k about the U.S. average |
$92,297±$17kHighest 14% above U.S. |
$53,125±$9kLowest 34% below U.S. |
| Hardwick and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $191,400±$68kHighest 42% below U.S. |
$184,700±$39k 44% below U.S. |
$164,000±$11kLowest 51% below U.S. |
| Dalton and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $900±$825 36% below U.S. |
$875±$406Lowest 38% below U.S. |
$1,025±$172Highest 27% below U.S. |
| Lunenburg and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,561 14% above U.S. |
$4,351Highest 39% above U.S. |
$2,702Lowest 13% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.7%±83.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±41.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.5%±57.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dalton and Lunenburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 19.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
76.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1962Lowest 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
29 min 10% above U.S. |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 5.9%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.8%±6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
4.9%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hardwick and Dalton 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 | — | Mountain View Union Elementary School District #94 · Hazen Union High School District #26 | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 |
| High school 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 |
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.