Compare towns
Dorset vs Hartford vs Norwich
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dorset has the most people working from home (29.3%).
Hartford has the most affordable homes ($305k median).
Norwich has the highest household income ($140k).
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 | Dorset | Hartford | Norwich |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,092Lowest |
10,736Highest |
3,640 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+7.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+5.8% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.9±7.5Highest 6% above VT |
43.2±3.9 about the VT average |
40.8±3.2Lowest 5% below VT |
| Dorset and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24%±5.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
18%±3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
24%±5.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±4.5 VT: 21.4% |
22.5%±3.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
16%±3.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Hartford and Dorset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 72.1% VT: 43.8% |
47.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
81%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
4.9%±1.7Highest VT: 7% |
4.8%±2.4 VT: 7% |
| Hartford and Norwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $111,250±$40k 37% above VT |
$78,125±$7kLowest 4% below VT |
$140,313±$12kHighest 73% above VT |
| Norwich and Dorset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $569,200±$57k 80% above VT |
$304,500±$26kLowest 4% below VT |
$637,500±$76kHighest 101% above VT |
| Norwich and Dorset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,420±$296 15% above VT |
$1,218±$118Lowest about the VT average |
$1,460±$322Highest 18% above VT |
| Norwich and Dorset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,489 49% above VT |
$5,773Lowest 15% above VT |
$10,000+Highest at least 98% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 74.4%±22.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±12.7 VT: 48.4% |
30.7%±19.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Dorset and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
11.1% VT: 10.1% |
2.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
67.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
71.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minHighest 8% below VT |
18 minLowest 22% below VT |
19 min 19% below VT |
| Work from home | 29.3%±7.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
13.9%±3.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
21%±5.3 VT: 16.9% |
| Dorset and Norwich 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 | — | #34 of 70 in VT | #1 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Taconic and Green Regional School District #63 | Hartford School District | Norwich School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Hartford High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.6 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.