Compare towns
Hardwick vs Plainfield 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).
Plainfield has the most expensive homes ($318k median).
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 | Plainfield | Barton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,965Highest |
1,314Lowest |
2,815 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6% VT: +2.8% |
+2.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.1±7.4 9% above VT |
48.1±5.5Highest 12% above VT |
44.9±6.5Lowest 4% above VT |
| Plainfield and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.8%±4.4Lowest VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
20.7%±3.8Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Barton and Plainfield 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% |
21.1%±3.5Lowest 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% VT: 43.8% |
48.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
32.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2.4 VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest 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 |
$69,250±$31k 15% below VT |
$66,250±$16kLowest 18% below VT |
| Hardwick and Plainfield 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 |
$318,400±$34kHighest about the VT average |
$201,200±$28k 36% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $875±$406 29% below VT |
$1,153±$103Highest 7% below VT |
$793±$70Lowest 36% below VT |
| Plainfield and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,351 14% below VT |
$4,806Highest 5% below VT |
$3,355Lowest 33% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±41.3 VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
39.6%±12.5Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Hardwick 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% |
11.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
10.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.4% VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
73.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 14 yrs older than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1966Highest 10 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 23% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
35 minHighest 50% above VT |
| Work from home | 11.8%±6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
13.4%±5.7 VT: 16.9% |
| Plainfield 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 | — | Lake Region Union Elementary Middle School District · Lake Region Union High School District #24 |
| High school in town | Hazen Union High School | — | 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.