Compare towns
Hardwick vs Lee vs Wallingford
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 people working from home (16.4%).
Wallingford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.4%).
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 | Wallingford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,965 |
5,719Highest |
2,286Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.1±7.4 21% above U.S. |
55.2±5.8Highest 42% above U.S. |
45.9±10.8Lowest 18% above U.S. |
| Lee and Hardwick 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% |
12.6%±5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Wallingford and Hardwick 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% |
23.9%±3.2Lowest 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% |
30.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Lee 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 U.S. |
$83,750±$13k 4% above U.S. |
$80,230±$15kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Hardwick and Lee 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. |
$261,900±$44k 21% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $875±$406Lowest 38% below U.S. |
$1,375±$212Highest about the U.S. average |
$891±$95 37% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,351 39% above U.S. |
$3,980Lowest 28% above U.S. |
$4,355Highest 40% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±41.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.3%±21.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
14.3%±13.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lee and Hardwick 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
71.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 10% above U.S. |
18 minLowest 31% below U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.8%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±7.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lee 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 | #209 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Mountain View Union Elementary School District #94 · Hazen Union High School District #26 | Lee | Mill River Unified Union School District #52 |
| 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.