What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hardwick has the most homeowners (76.4%).

Manchester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.5%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Hardwick	Manchester
People
Population	2,965Lowest	115,643Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+5.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	47.1±7.4Highest 21% above U.S.	38±1Lowest about the U.S. average
Kids under 18	15.8%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 22%	18%±1Highest U.S.: 22%
	Manchester and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	27%±5.9Highest U.S.: 17.2%	15.5%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	33.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	34%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	6.4%±0.7Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$92,297±$17kHighest 14% above U.S.	$81,007±$2kLowest about the U.S. average
	Hardwick and Manchester 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.	$365,600±$7kHighest 10% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$875±$406Lowest 38% below U.S.	$1,564±$37Highest 11% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,351Lowest 39% above U.S.	$5,922Highest 90% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	48.6%±41.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	50%±3.6Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Manchester and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	9.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	11.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	76.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	48.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1962Lowest 18 yrs older than U.S.	1966Highest 14 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minHighest 10% above U.S.	24 minLowest 9% below U.S.
Work from home	11.8%±6Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	14.1%±1.3Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Manchester 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	#115 of 120 in NH
School district	Mountain View Union Elementary School District #94 · Hazen Union High School District #26	Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District
High school in town	Hazen Union High School	Manchester Memorial High School
Students per teacherat that high school	8.6Lowest	14.3Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	6 photos →

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.