Compare towns
Hardwick vs Otsego 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 most affordable homes ($185k median).
Otsego has the most people working from home (19.9%).
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 | Otsego | Wallingford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,965 |
3,627Highest |
2,286Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3% U.S.: +7.4% |
-6.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.1±7.4 21% above U.S. |
52.1±5.8Highest 34% above U.S. |
45.9±10.8Lowest 18% above U.S. |
| Otsego 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 U.S.: 22% |
12.1%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
31.8%±5.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.9%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Otsego 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Otsego 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 U.S. |
$72,891±$16kLowest 10% 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. |
$352,600±$42kHighest 6% above U.S. |
$261,900±$44k 21% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $875±$406Lowest 38% below U.S. |
$1,205±$165Highest 15% below U.S. |
$891±$95 37% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,351Lowest 39% above U.S. |
$4,702Highest 51% above U.S. |
$4,355 40% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±41.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
30.6%±17.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
14.3%±13.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hardwick and Otsego 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% |
6.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
70.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 10% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.8%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±9.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Otsego 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 | #65 of 484 in NY | — |
| School district | Mountain View Union Elementary School District #94 · Hazen Union High School District #26 | COOPERSTOWN CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | Mill River Unified Union School District #52 |
| High school in town | Hazen Union High School | COOPERSTOWN JUNIOR/SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.6Lowest |
12.8Highest |
— |
| 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.