Compare towns
Hardwick vs Plainfield vs Vernon
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 the most people working from home (16.4%).
Vernon has the shortest commute (20 min average).
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 | Vernon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,965Highest |
1,314Lowest |
2,709 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.1±7.4 9% above VT |
48.1±5.5Highest 12% above VT |
42.6±5.4Lowest about the VT average |
| 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%±4.4 VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
15.1%±3.6Lowest 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%±5.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
22.8%±2.1 VT: 21.4% |
| Hardwick and Vernon 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% |
26.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2.4 VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
3%±1.7Highest VT: 7% |
| Vernon 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±$31kLowest 15% below VT |
$85,682±$9k 6% above VT |
| Hardwick and Vernon 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 |
$285,100±$25k 10% below VT |
| Plainfield and Vernon 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 |
$1,153±$103Highest 7% below VT |
$1,023±$214 17% below VT |
| Plainfield and Vernon 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 |
$4,806 5% below VT |
$5,191Highest 3% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±41.3 VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
26.2%±3.7Lowest 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% VT: 10.1% |
11.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.4% VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
76.2%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 14 yrs older than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 23% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
20 minLowest 14% below VT |
| Work from home | 11.8%±6 VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
6.4%±3.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| 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 | — | #30 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Mountain View Union Elementary School District #94 · Hazen Union High School District #26 | — | Vernon 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.