Compare towns
Hardwick vs Middlesex 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 highest household income ($92k).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (18.2%).
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 | Middlesex | Wallingford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,965Highest |
1,407Lowest |
2,286 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3% U.S.: +7.4% |
-7.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.1±7.4 21% above U.S. |
55.3±6Highest 42% above U.S. |
45.9±10.8Lowest 18% above U.S. |
| Middlesex and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.8%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Wallingford and Middlesex 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% |
24.6%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.9%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hardwick and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
21.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Hardwick and Wallingford 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. |
$75,750±$21kLowest 6% below U.S. |
$80,230±$15k about the U.S. average |
| Hardwick and Wallingford 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. |
$208,100±$62k 37% below U.S. |
$261,900±$44kHighest 21% below U.S. |
| Wallingford and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $875±$406Lowest 38% below U.S. |
$1,406±$672Highest about the U.S. average |
$891±$95 37% below U.S. |
| Middlesex and Wallingford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,351 39% above U.S. |
$3,459Lowest 11% above U.S. |
$4,355Highest 40% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±41.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
29.1%±39 U.S.: 51.1% |
14.3%±13.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hardwick and Middlesex 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% |
5.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Lowest 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1974Highest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 10% above U.S. |
25 min 4% below U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.8%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.2%±6.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlesex 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 | GORHAM-MIDDLESEX CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT (MARCUS WHITMAN) | Mill River Unified Union School District #52 |
| High school in town | Hazen Union High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.6 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.