What stands out worked out from the figures below

Etna has the shortest commute (28 min average).

Hartford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.5%).

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	Etna	Hartford
People
Population	1,252Lowest	1,314Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-1.6%Lowest ME: +2.6%	+1.5%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	41.9±3.4Lowest 6% below ME	42.2±6.5Highest 6% below ME
	Hartford and Etna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20%±6.7Lowest ME: 18.1%	23.4%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1%
	Hartford and Etna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	18.5%±1.1Highest ME: 22.4%	17.9%±0.7Lowest ME: 22.4%
	Etna and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	13.9%Lowest ME: 36.2%	17.9%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	0.6%±0.5Lowest ME: 5.8%	1.1%±1.3Highest ME: 5.8%
	Hartford and Etna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$72,379±$16kLowest 3% below ME	$87,115±$40kHighest 17% above ME
	Hartford and Etna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$183,000±$49kLowest 38% below ME	$189,200±$44kHighest 36% below ME
	Hartford and Etna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$1,745Lowest 43% below ME	$3,024Highest about the ME average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	66.7%±100Lowest ME: 48.4%	100%±100Highest ME: 48.4%
	Hartford and Etna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	15.5%Highest ME: 10.7%	7.4%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	94.9%Lowest ME: 74.3%	97.6%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1993Highest 16 yrs newer than ME	1990Lowest 13 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minLowest 12% above ME	41 minHighest 68% above ME
Work from home	5.6%±3.3Highest ME: 15.9%	5.2%±3.2Lowest ME: 15.9%
	Etna and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

ME 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.