Compare towns
Hardwick vs Orange vs Barton
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 highest household income ($92k).
Orange has the most homeowners (87.8%).
Barton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.2%).
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 | Orange | Barton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,965Highest |
957Lowest |
2,815 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-2.2% VT: +2.8% |
+2.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.1±7.4 9% above VT |
50.3±5.3Highest 17% above VT |
44.9±6.5Lowest 4% above VT |
| Orange 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% |
15.6%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
20.7%±3.8Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Barton 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% |
19.4%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
23.5%±3.9 VT: 21.4% |
| Hardwick and Barton 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 VT: 43.8% |
22.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
32.7% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2.4Lowest VT: 7% |
2.4%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
2.9%±1.5Highest VT: 7% |
| Barton 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 |
$71,302±$13k 12% below VT |
$66,250±$16kLowest 18% below VT |
| Hardwick and Orange 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 |
$222,000±$22kHighest 30% below VT |
$201,200±$28k 36% below VT |
| Orange and Barton 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 |
$1,330±$153Highest 8% above VT |
$793±$70Lowest 36% below VT |
| Orange and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,351Highest 14% below VT |
$3,545 30% below VT |
$3,355Lowest 33% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±41.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
0%±87Lowest VT: 48.4% |
39.6%±12.5 VT: 48.4% |
| Hardwick and Barton 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% |
7.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
10.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.4% VT: 73.2% |
87.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
73.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Lowest 14 yrs older than VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1966 10 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 23% above VT |
28 minLowest 19% above VT |
35 minHighest 50% above VT |
| Work from home | 11.8%±6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
13.5%±4.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
13.4%±5.7 VT: 16.9% |
| Orange and Barton 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 | — | #38 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Mountain View Union Elementary School District #94 · Hazen Union High School District #26 | Echo Valley Community Union School District #67 | Lake Region Union Elementary Middle School District · Lake Region Union High School District #24 |
| High school in town | Hazen Union High School | None in town | Lake Region Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.6Lowest |
— | 10.5Highest |
| 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.