Compare towns
Dover vs Hardwick vs Wolcott
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+60%).
Hardwick has the highest household income ($92k).
Wolcott has the most kids (22.8% under 18).
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 | Dover | Hardwick | Wolcott |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,466Lowest |
2,965Highest |
1,507 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +60%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.4% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 53.5±8.3Highest 24% above VT |
47.1±7.4 9% above VT |
42.4±5.9Lowest about the VT average |
| Dover and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 10.2%±5.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
15.8%±4.4 VT: 17.9% |
22.8%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Wolcott and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.5%±6.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
27%±5.9 VT: 21.4% |
11.1%±2.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Dover and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
33.7% VT: 43.8% |
31.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.9 VT: 7% |
2.4%±2.4Lowest VT: 7% |
3.4%±2.1Highest VT: 7% |
| Wolcott and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $52,313±$7kLowest 36% below VT |
$92,297±$17kHighest 14% above VT |
$70,259±$10k 13% below VT |
| Hardwick and Wolcott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $332,900±$55kHighest 5% above VT |
$184,700±$39kLowest 42% below VT |
$221,300±$23k 30% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $670±$49Lowest 46% below VT |
$875±$406 29% below VT |
$1,059±$118Highest 14% below VT |
| Wolcott and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,510Highest 10% below VT |
$4,351 14% below VT |
$3,930Lowest 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.1%±17.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
48.6%±41.3 VT: 48.4% |
75.7%±21.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Wolcott and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
9.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
76.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
79.5% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1962Lowest 14 yrs older than VT |
1983 7 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 6% below VT |
29 minHighest 23% above VT |
27 min 13% above VT |
| Work from home | 23.2%±11.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
11.8%±6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
13.9%±4.2 VT: 16.9% |
| Dover and Wolcott 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 | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | Mountain View Union Elementary School District #94 · Hazen Union High School District #26 | Wolcott School District |
| High school in town | None 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 |
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.