What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hardwick has the highest household income ($92k).

Chester has the most expensive homes ($233k median).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Hardwick	Chester
People
Population	2,965Lowest	2,992Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-3%Highest VT: +2.8%	-4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8%
Median age	47.1±7.4Lowest 9% above VT	49.7±4.7Highest 15% above VT
	Chester and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	15.8%±4.4Highest VT: 17.9%	14.1%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9%
	Hardwick and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	27%±5.9Lowest VT: 21.4%	29.8%±7.9Highest VT: 21.4%
	Chester 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%Highest VT: 43.8%	33.1%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.4%±2.4Lowest VT: 7%	5.1%±4Highest VT: 7%
	Chester 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	$62,125±$8kLowest 23% below VT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$184,700±$39kLowest 42% below VT	$232,900±$44kHighest 26% below VT
	Chester and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$875±$406Lowest 29% below VT	$960±$44Highest 22% below VT
	Chester and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,351Highest 14% below VT	$4,262Lowest 15% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	48.6%±41.3Highest VT: 48.4%	11.5%±12.3Lowest VT: 48.4%
	Hardwick and Chester 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%	7%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	76.4%Lowest VT: 73.2%	86.7%Highest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1962Lowest 14 yrs older than VT	1972Highest 4 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minHighest 23% above VT	28 minLowest 18% above VT
Work from home	11.8%±6Lowest VT: 16.9%	14%±6.9Highest VT: 16.9%
	Chester 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	#49 of 70 in VT
School district	Mountain View Union Elementary School District #94 · Hazen Union High School District #26	Green Mountain Unified School District #77
High school in town	Hazen Union High School	Green Mountain Union High School
Students per teacherat that high school	8.6Lowest	8.7Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.