Compare towns
Hardwick vs Enosburgh vs Plainfield 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).
Enosburgh has the most kids (21% under 18).
Plainfield has the most expensive homes ($318k median).
Walden has the most people working from home (21.4%).
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 | Enosburgh | Plainfield | Walden |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,965Highest |
2,804 |
1,314 |
1,037Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | -0.6% VT: +2.8% |
+2.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.1±7.4 9% above VT |
40.6±3.9Lowest 6% below VT |
48.1±5.5 12% above VT |
48.8±3.2Highest 13% above VT |
| Walden and Plainfield 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% |
21%±4.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
14.3%±3.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Enosburgh and Plainfield 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% |
17.9%±3.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
20.4%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Hardwick and Plainfield 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% |
20.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
26.4% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2.4 VT: 7% |
5.4%±2.4Highest VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
4%±2.1 VT: 7% |
| Enosburgh and Walden 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 |
$63,828±$17kLowest 21% below VT |
$69,250±$31k 15% below VT |
$88,000±$15k 8% above VT |
| Hardwick and Walden 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 |
$223,100±$39k 30% below VT |
$318,400±$34kHighest about the VT average |
$238,900±$23k 25% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $875±$406 29% below VT |
$852±$87Lowest 31% below VT |
$1,153±$103Highest 7% below VT |
$900±$136 27% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,351 14% below VT |
$3,624Lowest 28% below VT |
$4,806Highest 5% below VT |
$3,944 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±41.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
48.9%±11.2 VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
56.3%±86.8 VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Walden 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% |
13.9%Highest VT: 10.1% |
11.6% VT: 10.1% |
9.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.4% VT: 73.2% |
75.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
80.9% VT: 73.2% |
93.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 14 yrs older than VT |
1972 4 yrs older than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 23% above VT |
32 minHighest 36% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
26 min 10% above VT |
| Work from home | 11.8%±6 VT: 16.9% |
10.1%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
21.4%±6.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Walden and Plainfield 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 | #26 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | Mountain View Union Elementary School District #94 · Hazen Union High School District #26 | Enosburgh-Richford Unified Union School District #88 | — | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 |
| High school in town | Hazen Union High School | Enosburg Falls Middle/High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.6Lowest |
10.4Highest |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.