Compare towns
Hardwick vs Plainfield vs Worcester vs Walden
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 expensive homes ($318k median).
Worcester has the most people working from home (23.6%).
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 | Worcester | Walden |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,965Highest |
1,314 |
831Lowest |
1,037 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3% VT: +2.8% |
-0.6% VT: +2.8% |
-3.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+2.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.1±7.4 9% above VT |
48.1±5.5 12% above VT |
47±2.7Lowest 9% above VT |
48.8±3.2Highest 13% above VT |
| Walden 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% |
12.8%±3.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
14.3%±3.9 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%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
19.5%±2.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
20.4%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Hardwick and Plainfield 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% VT: 43.8% |
53%Highest VT: 43.8% |
26.4%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2.4 VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
6.9%±4.7Highest VT: 7% |
4%±2.1 VT: 7% |
| Worcester 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 VT |
$69,250±$31kLowest 15% below VT |
$73,833±$18k 9% below VT |
$88,000±$15k 8% above VT |
| 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±$39kLowest 42% below VT |
$318,400±$34kHighest about the VT average |
$271,100±$27k 14% below VT |
$238,900±$23k 25% below VT |
| Plainfield and Worcester 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±$136 17% below VT |
$900±$136 27% below VT |
| Plainfield and Worcester 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 |
$4,421 12% below VT |
$3,944Lowest 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±41.3 VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
25.5%±37Lowest VT: 48.4% |
56.3%±86.8 VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Walden 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% |
5.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
80.9% VT: 73.2% |
85.9% VT: 73.2% |
93.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 14 yrs older than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 23% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
29 min 22% above VT |
26 min 10% above VT |
| Work from home | 11.8%±6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
23.6%±4.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
21.4%±6.7 VT: 16.9% |
| Worcester and Walden 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 | — | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 |
| 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 Our Story | None yet | 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.