Compare towns
Hardwick vs Bridgewater vs Wallingford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hardwick has the most affordable homes ($185k median).
Bridgewater has the oldest population (median age 57.1).
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 | Bridgewater | Wallingford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,965Highest |
980Lowest |
2,286 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3% VT: +2.8% |
-3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+2.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.1±7.4 9% above VT |
57.1±8Highest 32% above VT |
45.9±10.8Lowest 6% above VT |
| Bridgewater and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.8%±4.4 VT: 17.9% |
12.8%±5.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.7%±5Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Wallingford and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27%±5.9 VT: 21.4% |
30.2%±0.7Highest VT: 21.4% |
23.9%±3.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bridgewater and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.7% VT: 43.8% |
40.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
30.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2.4 VT: 7% |
5.8%±3.8Highest VT: 7% |
1.5%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Bridgewater 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±$17kHighest 14% above VT |
$70,272±$3kLowest 13% below VT |
$80,230±$15k about the VT average |
| Hardwick and Wallingford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $184,700±$39kLowest 42% below VT |
$218,300±$55k 31% below VT |
$261,900±$44kHighest 17% below VT |
| Wallingford and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $875±$406 29% below VT |
$850±$778Lowest 31% below VT |
$891±$95Highest 28% below VT |
| 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 14% below VT |
$3,418Lowest 32% below VT |
$4,355Highest 14% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±41.3 VT: 48.4% |
59.7%±39.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
14.3%±13.5Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Bridgewater and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.7% VT: 10.1% |
14.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
85.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
82.5% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Lowest 14 yrs older than VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
1971 5 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 23% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
25 min 6% above VT |
| Work from home | 11.8%±6Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±6.6 VT: 16.9% |
7.1%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Hardwick and Bridgewater 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 |
VT 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.