Compare towns
Hardwick vs Arkwright vs Exeter vs Wallingford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hardwick has the most renters (23.6% rent).
Arkwright has the most affordable homes ($171k median).
Exeter has the most people working from home (14.4%).
Wallingford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.4%).
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 | Hardwick | Arkwright | Exeter | Wallingford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,965Highest |
859Lowest |
913 |
2,286 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-14.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.1±7.4 21% above U.S. |
50.8±7.2 31% above U.S. |
51.7±12.6Highest 33% above U.S. |
45.9±10.8Lowest 18% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Arkwright are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.8%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±5.4 U.S.: 22% |
22.7%±7.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±5 U.S.: 22% |
| Exeter and Wallingford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 27%±5.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.2%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±10.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.9%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hardwick and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
30.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Arkwright and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $92,297±$17k 14% above U.S. |
$93,000±$26kHighest 15% above U.S. |
$77,550±$19kLowest 4% below U.S. |
$80,230±$15k about the U.S. average |
| Arkwright and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $184,700±$39k 44% below U.S. |
$170,900±$30kLowest 49% below U.S. |
$243,000±$89k 27% below U.S. |
$261,900±$44kHighest 21% below U.S. |
| Wallingford and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $875±$406 38% below U.S. |
$875±$689 38% below U.S. |
$867±$44Lowest 39% below U.S. |
$891±$95Highest 37% below U.S. |
| Wallingford and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,351 39% above U.S. |
$3,760 21% above U.S. |
$2,926Lowest 6% below U.S. |
$4,355Highest 40% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±41.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
50%±65.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
14.3%±13.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Arkwright and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
97.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Lowest 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 10% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
29 min 9% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.8%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
6%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.4%±10.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Exeter 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 | — | — | Mill River Unified Union School District #52 |
| 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 | 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.