Compare towns
Hardwick vs Calais vs Wolcott
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).
Calais has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.4%).
Wolcott has the shortest commute (27 min average).
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 | Calais | Wolcott |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,965Highest |
1,713 |
1,507Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+3.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.4% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.1±7.4Highest 9% above VT |
42±8.6Lowest about the VT average |
42.4±5.9 about the VT average |
| Hardwick and Wolcott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.8%±4.4Lowest VT: 17.9% |
22.5%±5.4 VT: 17.9% |
22.8%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Wolcott and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27%±5.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.6%±5.2 VT: 21.4% |
11.1%±2.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Hardwick and Calais 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% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
31.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2.4Lowest VT: 7% |
7.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
3.4%±2.1 VT: 7% |
| Calais and Wolcott 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 |
$100,625±$27kHighest 24% above VT |
$70,259±$10kLowest 13% below VT |
| Calais 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 |
$390,300±$36kHighest 23% above VT |
$221,300±$23k 30% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $875±$406Lowest 29% below VT |
$1,408±$392Highest 14% above VT |
$1,059±$118 14% below VT |
| Calais and Wolcott 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 |
$6,586Highest 31% above VT |
$3,930Lowest 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±41.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
49%±38.3 VT: 48.4% |
75.7%±21.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Wolcott and Calais 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% |
8.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79.5% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Lowest 14 yrs older than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 23% above VT |
31 minHighest 32% above VT |
27 minLowest 13% above VT |
| Work from home | 11.8%±6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
23.4%±7.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
13.9%±4.2 VT: 16.9% |
| Calais and Wolcott 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 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Wolcott School District |
| 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 |
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.