Compare towns
Hardwick vs Arkwright vs Wallingford 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
Hardwick has the most renters (23.6% rent).
Arkwright has the most affordable homes ($171k median).
Wallingford has the most expensive homes ($262k median).
Walden has the most people working from home (21.4%).
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 | Wallingford | Walden |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,965Highest |
859Lowest |
2,286 |
1,037 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.1±7.4 21% above U.S. |
50.8±7.2Highest 31% above U.S. |
45.9±10.8Lowest 18% above U.S. |
48.8±3.2 25% above U.S. |
| Arkwright and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.8%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±5.4 U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±5Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Wallingford and Arkwright 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%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.9%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hardwick and Wallingford 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% |
30.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
26.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Walden and Arkwright 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. |
$80,230±$15kLowest about the U.S. average |
$88,000±$15k 9% above U.S. |
| 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. |
$261,900±$44kHighest 21% below U.S. |
$238,900±$23k 28% below U.S. |
| Wallingford and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $875±$406Lowest 38% below U.S. |
$875±$689Lowest 38% below U.S. |
$891±$95 37% below U.S. |
$900±$136Highest 36% below U.S. |
| Walden and Wallingford 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. |
$3,760Lowest 21% above U.S. |
$4,355Highest 40% above U.S. |
$3,944 26% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±41.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
50%±65.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
14.3%±13.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.3%±86.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Walden and Arkwright 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% |
7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Lowest 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 10% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 11.8%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
6%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±3.7 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 | — | Mill River Unified Union School District #52 | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 |
| High school in town | Hazen Union High School | — | None in town | 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.