Compare towns
Hardwick vs Peacham vs Plainfield
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).
Peacham has the most people working from home (24.2%).
Plainfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.6%).
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 | Peacham | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,965Highest |
887Lowest |
1,314 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-2.3% VT: +2.8% |
-0.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.1±7.4Lowest 9% above VT |
50.1±5.7Highest 16% above VT |
48.1±5.5 12% above VT |
| Peacham and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.8%±4.4Lowest VT: 17.9% |
20.7%±6Highest VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Peacham and Plainfield 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% |
33.6%±2.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Peacham 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%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48.2% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2.4 VT: 7% |
5.4%±4Highest VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
| Peacham 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 |
$90,000±$28k 11% above VT |
$69,250±$31kLowest 15% below VT |
| Hardwick and Peacham 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 |
$302,000±$64k 5% below VT |
$318,400±$34kHighest about the VT average |
| Plainfield and Peacham 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 |
$1,028±$248 17% below VT |
$1,153±$103Highest 7% below VT |
| Plainfield and Peacham 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 |
$5,605Highest 11% above VT |
$4,806 5% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±41.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
66.7%±17.7 VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Peacham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
10.6% VT: 10.1% |
11.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.4% VT: 73.2% |
76.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 14 yrs older than VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 23% above VT |
31 minHighest 31% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 11.8%±6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
24.2%±16.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
| Peacham and Plainfield 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 | Peacham School District | — |
| High school in town | Hazen Union High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.6 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.