Compare towns
Hardwick vs Montgomery vs Wallingford
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).
Montgomery has the most people working from home (16%).
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 | Montgomery | Wallingford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,965Highest |
1,047Lowest |
2,286 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-1.4% VT: +2.8% |
+2.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.1±7.4 9% above VT |
51.5±11.3Highest 19% above VT |
45.9±10.8Lowest 6% above VT |
| Montgomery 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% |
15.5%±4.4Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.7%±5Highest VT: 17.9% |
| 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 VT: 21.4% |
33.9%±8.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
23.9%±3.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Montgomery 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% VT: 43.8% |
52.8%Highest VT: 43.8% |
30.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2.4 VT: 7% |
2.8%±3.2Highest VT: 7% |
1.5%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Montgomery 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 VT |
$53,289±$24kLowest 34% below VT |
$80,230±$15k about the VT 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 42% below VT |
$323,200±$45kHighest about the VT average |
$261,900±$44k 17% below VT |
| Montgomery and Wallingford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $875±$406 29% below VT |
$868±$209Lowest 30% below VT |
$891±$95Highest 28% below VT |
| Wallingford and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,351 14% below VT |
$4,326Lowest 14% below VT |
$4,355Highest 14% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±41.3 VT: 48.4% |
76.6%±68Highest VT: 48.4% |
14.3%±13.5Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Montgomery and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.7% VT: 10.1% |
15.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
80.7% VT: 73.2% |
82.5%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Lowest 14 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1971 5 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 23% above VT |
37 minHighest 58% above VT |
25 minLowest 6% above VT |
| Work from home | 11.8%±6 VT: 16.9% |
16%±5.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
7.1%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Montgomery 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 | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 | 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 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.