Compare towns
Hampton vs Hardwick vs Walden
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hampton has the most affordable homes ($167k median).
Hardwick has the highest household income ($92k).
Walden has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.2%).
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 | Hampton | Hardwick | Walden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,145 |
2,965Highest |
1,037Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -8.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±14.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
47.1±7.4 21% above U.S. |
48.8±3.2Highest 25% above U.S. |
| Walden and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.9%±6.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.8%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
14.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Hampton and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
27%±5.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hardwick and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Walden and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $73,796±$8kLowest 9% below U.S. |
$92,297±$17kHighest 14% above U.S. |
$88,000±$15k 9% above U.S. |
| Hardwick and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $166,800±$10kLowest 50% below U.S. |
$184,700±$39k 44% below U.S. |
$238,900±$23kHighest 28% below U.S. |
| Walden and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,264±$375Highest 11% below U.S. |
$875±$406Lowest 38% below U.S. |
$900±$136 36% below U.S. |
| Hampton and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,007Lowest 4% below U.S. |
$4,351Highest 39% above U.S. |
$3,944 26% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13.2%±25.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±41.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.3%±86.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Walden and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
76.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1962Lowest 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
29 minHighest 10% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 7.8%±8.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.8%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.4%±6.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Walden and Hardwick 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 | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 |
| 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.