Compare towns
Hardwick vs Ira vs Ripton
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 kids (15.8% under 18).
Ira has the oldest population (median age 54.1).
Ripton has the most people working from home (17.2%).
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 | Ira | Ripton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,965Highest |
381Lowest |
508 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | +25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.1±7.4Lowest 9% above VT |
54.1±5.5Highest 26% above VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
| Ira and Ripton 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% |
10.5%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3 VT: 17.9% |
| Hardwick and Ripton 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% |
28.9%±3.3 VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
37.1% VT: 43.8% |
48%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2.4Lowest VT: 7% |
3.4%±3.5 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $92,297±$17k 14% above VT |
$71,827±$5kLowest 12% below VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
| Ripton 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 |
$272,900±$18k 14% below VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $875±$406Lowest 29% below VT |
$942±$52Highest 24% below VT |
— |
| Ira and Hardwick 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 |
$4,146Lowest 18% below VT |
$4,915Highest about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±41.3 VT: 48.4% |
36.4%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Ripton and Hardwick 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% |
14.4%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.7% VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Lowest 14 yrs older than VT |
1975Highest 1 yr older than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 23% above VT |
28 min 20% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 11.8%±6 VT: 16.9% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Ripton 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 | — | — |
| School district | Mountain View Union Elementary School District #94 · Hazen Union High School District #26 | — | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | Hazen Union High School | — | 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.