Compare towns
Hardwick vs Plainfield vs Montgomery
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).
Plainfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.6%).
Montgomery has the oldest population (median age 51.5).
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 | Montgomery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,965Highest |
1,314 |
1,047Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-1.4% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.1±7.4Lowest 9% above VT |
48.1±5.5 12% above VT |
51.5±11.3Highest 19% above VT |
| Montgomery and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.8%±4.4 VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
15.5%±4.4Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Plainfield and Hardwick 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% |
21.1%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
33.9%±8.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Montgomery 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% |
48.2% VT: 43.8% |
52.8%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2.4 VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
2.8%±3.2Highest VT: 7% |
| Montgomery 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 |
$53,289±$24kLowest 34% 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±$34k about the VT average |
$323,200±$45kHighest about the VT average |
| Montgomery and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $875±$406 29% below VT |
$1,153±$103Highest 7% below VT |
$868±$209Lowest 30% 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 |
$4,326Lowest 14% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±41.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9 VT: 48.4% |
76.6%±68Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Montgomery and Plainfield 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% VT: 10.1% |
15.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 14 yrs older than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 23% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
37 minHighest 58% above VT |
| Work from home | 11.8%±6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
16%±5.9 VT: 16.9% |
| Plainfield and Montgomery 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 | — | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 |
| 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.