Compare towns
Hardwick vs Brookfield vs Walden
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).
Brookfield has the most expensive homes ($339k median).
Walden 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 | Walden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,965Highest |
1,486 |
1,037Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3% VT: +2.8% |
-3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+2.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.1±7.4 9% above VT |
47±5.9Lowest 9% above VT |
48.8±3.2Highest 13% above VT |
| Walden 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% |
18.8%±4.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.3%±3.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Brookfield 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% |
29.7%±6.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.4%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Brookfield 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% |
45.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
26.4%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2.4Lowest VT: 7% |
3.2%±2.4 VT: 7% |
4%±2.1Highest VT: 7% |
| Walden and Brookfield 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 VT |
$98,500±$23kHighest 21% above VT |
$88,000±$15kLowest 8% above VT |
| Brookfield 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±$39kLowest 42% below VT |
$339,300±$15kHighest 7% above VT |
$238,900±$23k 25% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $875±$406Lowest 29% below VT |
$975±$306Highest 21% below VT |
$900±$136 27% below VT |
| Brookfield and Walden 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 |
$4,560Highest 10% below VT |
$3,944Lowest 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±41.3 VT: 48.4% |
30.4%±27.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
56.3%±86.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Walden and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
6.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
87.9% VT: 73.2% |
93.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Lowest 14 yrs older than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 23% above VT |
37 minHighest 55% above VT |
26 minLowest 10% above VT |
| Work from home | 11.8%±6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
21.4%±6.7 VT: 16.9% |
| Brookfield and Walden 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 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | 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 Our Story | 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.