Compare towns
Hardwick vs Plainfield vs Walden
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 renters (23.6% rent).
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 34.5).
Walden 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 | Plainfield | Walden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,965Highest |
1,016Lowest |
1,037 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.1±7.4 21% above U.S. |
34.5±6.6Lowest 11% below U.S. |
48.8±3.2Highest 25% above U.S. |
| Walden and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.8%±4.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±2.8 U.S.: 22% |
14.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Hardwick and Plainfield 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% |
14.5%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hardwick and Walden 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
28.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
26.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
14.9%±11.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Walden 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. |
$70,673±$6kLowest 12% below U.S. |
$88,000±$15k 9% above U.S. |
| Hardwick and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $184,700±$39k 44% below U.S. |
$155,100±$17kLowest 53% below U.S. |
$238,900±$23kHighest 28% below U.S. |
| Walden and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $875±$406 38% below U.S. |
$750±$207Lowest 47% below U.S. |
$900±$136Highest 36% below U.S. |
| Walden and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,351Highest 39% above U.S. |
$2,667Lowest 14% below U.S. |
$3,944 26% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±41.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
40.6%±43.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.3%±86.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Walden and Hardwick 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% |
7.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Lowest 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 10% above U.S. |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 11.8%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.5%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.4%±6.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Walden 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 | — | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 |
| 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 |
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.