Compare towns
Hardwick vs Bow vs Barton
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 affordable homes ($185k median).
Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
Barton has the most renters (26.1% rent).
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 | Bow | Barton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,965 |
8,335Highest |
2,815Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.1±7.4Highest 21% above U.S. |
41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
44.9±6.5 15% above U.S. |
| Hardwick and Barton 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% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.7%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Barton 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% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.5%±3.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hardwick and Barton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
32.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Barton 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. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$66,250±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $184,700±$39kLowest 44% below U.S. |
$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$201,200±$28k 40% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $875±$406 38% below U.S. |
$1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$793±$70Lowest 44% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,351 39% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$3,355Lowest 8% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±41.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.6%±12.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hardwick and Barton 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% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Lowest 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 10% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
35 minHighest 33% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.8%±6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.4%±5.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow and Barton 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 | #26 of 120 in NH | #38 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Mountain View Union Elementary School District #94 · Hazen Union High School District #26 | Bow School District | Lake Region Union Elementary Middle School District · Lake Region Union High School District #24 |
| High school in town | Hazen Union High School | Bow High School | Lake Region Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.6Lowest |
12.8Highest |
10.5 |
| 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.