Compare towns
Hardwick vs Ira vs Sandgate
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 highest household income ($92k).
Ira has the most expensive homes ($273k median).
Sandgate has the most people working from home (34.6%).
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 | Sandgate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,965Highest |
381Lowest |
435 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3% VT: +2.8% |
— | — |
| Median age | 47.1±7.4Lowest 9% above VT |
54.1±5.5 26% above VT |
55.7±5.4Highest 29% above VT |
| Sandgate and Ira 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% |
13.1%±7.5 VT: 17.9% |
| Hardwick and Sandgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27%±5.9 VT: 21.4% |
28.9%±3.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
26%±11.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Ira 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%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
37.1% VT: 43.8% |
37.8%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2.4 VT: 7% |
3.4%±3.5Highest VT: 7% |
2.3%±2.4Lowest VT: 7% |
| Ira 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 |
$71,827±$5k 12% below VT |
$69,167±$19kLowest 15% below VT |
| Hardwick and Ira 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±$18kHighest 14% below VT |
$193,800±$31k 39% below 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 | $4,351Highest 14% below VT |
$4,146 18% below VT |
$2,778Lowest 45% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±41.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
36.4%±100 VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Hardwick and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
14.4%Highest VT: 10.1% |
9.7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.7% VT: 73.2% |
94.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 14 yrs older than VT |
1975Highest 1 yr older than VT |
1959Lowest 17 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 23% above VT |
28 min 20% above VT |
27 minLowest 16% above VT |
| Work from home | 11.8%±6 VT: 16.9% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
34.6%±32.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Sandgate 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 | — | — |
| High school in town | Hazen Union High School | — | — |
| 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.