Compare towns
Hardwick vs Exeter vs Walden 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 most affordable homes ($185k median).
Exeter has the most kids (22.7% under 18).
Walden has the most people working from home (21.4%).
Barton has the youngest population (median age 44.9).
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 | Exeter | Walden | Barton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,965Highest |
913Lowest |
1,037 |
2,815 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3% U.S.: +7.4% |
-14.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.1±7.4 21% above U.S. |
51.7±12.6Highest 33% above U.S. |
48.8±3.2 25% above U.S. |
44.9±6.5Lowest 15% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.8%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
22.7%±7.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.7%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Exeter 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% |
26.9%±10.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.5%±3.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hardwick and Exeter 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% |
28.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
26.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
32.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
1%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Walden and Barton 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. |
$77,550±$19k 4% below U.S. |
$88,000±$15k 9% above U.S. |
$66,250±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| 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 44% below U.S. |
$243,000±$89kHighest 27% below U.S. |
$238,900±$23k 28% below U.S. |
$201,200±$28k 40% below U.S. |
| Exeter and Walden 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. |
$867±$44 39% below U.S. |
$900±$136Highest 36% below U.S. |
$793±$70Lowest 44% below U.S. |
| Walden 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. |
$2,926Lowest 6% below U.S. |
$3,944 26% above U.S. |
$3,355 8% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±41.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.3%±86.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.6%±12.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
97.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Lowest 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 10% above U.S. |
29 min 9% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
35 minHighest 33% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.8%±6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.4%±10.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.4%±6.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.4%±5.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Walden and Exeter 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 | — | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 | Lake Region Union Elementary Middle School District · Lake Region Union High School District #24 |
| High school in town | Hazen Union High School | — | None in town | 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 | 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.