Compare towns
Hardwick vs Brookfield 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 highest household income ($92k).
Brookfield has the most affordable homes ($153k median).
Barton 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 | Hardwick | Brookfield | Barton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,965Highest |
2,150Lowest |
2,815 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3% U.S.: +7.4% |
-11.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.1±7.4Highest 21% above U.S. |
41.2±6.1Lowest 6% 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% |
21.8%±4.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.7%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Brookfield 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% |
19.9%±4Lowest 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
16.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
32.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Barton 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 U.S. |
$69,205±$9k 14% below U.S. |
$66,250±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Hardwick and Brookfield 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. |
$152,800±$28kLowest 54% below U.S. |
$201,200±$28kHighest 40% below U.S. |
| Barton and Hardwick 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. |
$981±$75Highest 31% below U.S. |
$793±$70Lowest 44% below U.S. |
| Brookfield and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,351Highest 39% above U.S. |
$3,197Lowest about the U.S. average |
$3,355 8% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±41.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.4%±35.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.6%±12.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brookfield and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Lowest 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest 10% above U.S. |
36 minHighest 37% above U.S. |
35 min 33% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.8%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.5%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.4%±5.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Barton 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 | — | #38 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Mountain View Union Elementary School District #94 · Hazen Union High School District #26 | — | Lake Region Union Elementary Middle School District · Lake Region Union High School District #24 |
| High school in town | Hazen Union High School | — | Lake Region Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.6Lowest |
— | 10.5Highest |
| 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.