Compare towns
Hardwick vs Middletown Springs vs Worcester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hardwick has the most affordable homes ($185k median).
Middletown Springs has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.6%).
Worcester has the most people working from home (23.6%).
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 | Middletown Springs | Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,965Highest |
747Lowest |
831 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3% VT: +2.8% |
+6.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.1±7.4 9% above VT |
49.2±5.1Highest 14% above VT |
47±2.7Lowest 9% above VT |
| Middletown Springs 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 VT: 17.9% |
24%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
12.8%±3.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Middletown Springs and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27%±5.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
26.1%±2.5 VT: 21.4% |
19.5%±2.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Hardwick and Middletown Springs 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 VT: 43.8% |
45.6% VT: 43.8% |
53%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2.4Lowest VT: 7% |
3.2%±1.5 VT: 7% |
6.9%±4.7Highest VT: 7% |
| Worcester and Middletown Springs 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 VT |
$82,000±$12k about the VT average |
$73,833±$18kLowest 9% below VT |
| Hardwick and Middletown Springs are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $184,700±$39kLowest 42% below VT |
$262,200±$24k 17% below VT |
$271,100±$27kHighest 14% below VT |
| Worcester and Middletown Springs are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $875±$406Lowest 29% below VT |
$1,208±$438Highest about the VT average |
$1,023±$136 17% below VT |
| Middletown Springs and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,351Lowest 14% below VT |
$4,595Highest 9% below VT |
$4,421 12% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±41.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
20%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
25.5%±37 VT: 48.4% |
| Hardwick and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
6.1% VT: 10.1% |
5.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
85.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Lowest 14 yrs older than VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 23% above VT |
27 minLowest 16% above VT |
29 min 22% above VT |
| Work from home | 11.8%±6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
15.7%±5 VT: 16.9% |
23.6%±4.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Worcester and Middletown Springs 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 | Wells Spring Unified Union School District #69 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| 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 Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
VT 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.