Compare towns
Hardwick vs Lee vs Walden
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).
Lee has the most expensive homes ($353k median).
Walden has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.2%).
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 | Lee | Walden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,965 |
5,719Highest |
1,037Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.1±7.4Lowest 21% above U.S. |
55.2±5.8Highest 42% above U.S. |
48.8±3.2 25% above U.S. |
| Lee and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.8%±4.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Hardwick and Walden 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% |
33.4%±6.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lee 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Lee 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 U.S. |
$83,750±$13kLowest 4% above U.S. |
$88,000±$15k 9% above 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. |
$352,700±$19kHighest 6% above U.S. |
$238,900±$23k 28% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $875±$406Lowest 38% below U.S. |
$1,375±$212Highest about the U.S. average |
$900±$136 36% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,351Highest 39% above U.S. |
$3,980 28% above U.S. |
$3,944Lowest 26% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±41.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.3%±21.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.3%±86.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lee and Walden 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% |
7.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
71.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 10% above U.S. |
18 minLowest 31% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 11.8%±6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±7.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.4%±6.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Walden and Lee 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 | #209 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Mountain View Union Elementary School District #94 · Hazen Union High School District #26 | Lee | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 |
| High school in town | Hazen Union High School | Lee Middle/High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.6Lowest |
9.2Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 20 photos → | 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.