Compare towns
Hardwick vs Plainfield 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).
Plainfield has the most expensive homes ($442k median).
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 | Plainfield | Wallingford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,965Highest |
2,522 |
2,286Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.1±7.4Highest 21% above U.S. |
38.9±6.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
45.9±10.8 18% above U.S. |
| Hardwick and Wallingford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.8%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±5 U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Wallingford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27%±5.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.9%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hardwick and Wallingford 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% |
46.7%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% |
4.8%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield 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±$17k 14% above U.S. |
$122,656±$13kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$80,230±$15kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Plainfield and Hardwick 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. |
$442,400±$47kHighest 33% above U.S. |
$261,900±$44k 21% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $875±$406Lowest 38% below U.S. |
$1,674±$181Highest 18% above U.S. |
$891±$95 37% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,351Lowest 39% above U.S. |
$7,904Highest 153% above U.S. |
$4,355 40% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±41.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.8%±23.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
14.3%±13.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hardwick and Plainfield 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% |
5.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Lowest 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 10% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.8%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±8.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Plainfield 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 | #19 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Mountain View Union Elementary School District #94 · Hazen Union High School District #26 | Plainfield School District | 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 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.