Compare towns
Hardwick vs Lebanon vs Wilder
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).
Lebanon has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Wilder has grown the fastest since 2010 (+81.7%).
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 | Lebanon | Wilder |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,965Lowest |
14,999Highest |
3,087 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+81.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.1±7.4Highest 21% above U.S. |
38.9±3.1Lowest about the U.S. average |
45.5±8.9 17% above U.S. |
| Hardwick and Wilder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.8%±4.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Hardwick and Lebanon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27%±5.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.3%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wilder 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
57.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.9%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.1%±3.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wilder and Lebanon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $92,297±$17k 14% above U.S. |
$98,147±$10kHighest 22% above U.S. |
$75,143±$9kLowest 7% below U.S. |
| Lebanon 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 44% below U.S. |
$385,400±$29kHighest 16% above U.S. |
$273,200±$18k 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $875±$406Lowest 38% below U.S. |
$1,744±$132Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,142±$451 19% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,351Lowest 39% above U.S. |
$8,149Highest 161% above U.S. |
$5,505 76% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±41.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.9%±7.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.9%±17.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hardwick and Lebanon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
51.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
62.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Lowest 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 10% above U.S. |
14 minLowest 47% below U.S. |
17 min 37% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.8%±6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±4.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.6%±6.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lebanon and Wilder 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 | #29 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Mountain View Union Elementary School District #94 · Hazen Union High School District #26 | Lebanon School District | — |
| High school in town | Hazen Union High School | Lebanon High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.6Lowest |
11.7Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.