Compare towns
Hardwick vs Proctor vs Proctor vs Ryegate
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).
Proctor has the oldest population (median age 47.3).
Proctor has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Ryegate has the most kids (23.2% under 18).
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 | Proctor | Proctor | Ryegate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,965Highest |
1,586 |
1,794 |
1,059Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | +1.3%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.8% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.1±7.4 9% above VT |
47.3±8.9Highest 10% above VT |
42.4±6.4 about the VT average |
41.2±2.6Lowest 4% below VT |
| Proctor 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% |
17.2%±5 VT: 17.9% |
21.8%±4.4 VT: 17.9% |
23.2%±4.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Ryegate and Proctor 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% |
23.5%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
22.4%±2.5 VT: 21.4% |
22.1%±1.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Hardwick and Proctor 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 VT: 43.8% |
28%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
28.1% VT: 43.8% |
29.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2.4Lowest VT: 7% |
3.9%±1.9Highest VT: 7% |
3.6%±1.7 VT: 7% |
2.4%±1.4Lowest VT: 7% |
| Proctor and Proctor 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 |
$75,060±$12k 8% below VT |
$74,167±$12k 9% below VT |
$66,484±$15kLowest 18% below VT |
| Hardwick and Proctor 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 |
$206,000±$20k 35% below VT |
$209,900±$17k 34% below VT |
$219,300±$32kHighest 31% below VT |
| Ryegate and Proctor 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 |
$1,059±$200Highest 14% below VT |
$1,029±$202 17% below VT |
$908±$236 26% below VT |
| Proctor and Proctor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,351Highest 14% below VT |
$3,944 22% below VT |
$4,032 20% below VT |
$3,472Lowest 31% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±41.3 VT: 48.4% |
39.4%±15.6 VT: 48.4% |
37.3%±16.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
55.9%±29.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Ryegate 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% |
10% VT: 10.1% |
16.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
14.5% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
86.3% VT: 73.2% |
86.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
84.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Highest 14 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1949 27 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 23% above VT |
22 min 5% below VT |
22 minLowest 6% below VT |
28 min 18% above VT |
| Work from home | 11.8%±6Highest VT: 16.9% |
10%±5 VT: 16.9% |
9.4%±4.6 VT: 16.9% |
8.2%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Hardwick and Proctor 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 | — | Quarry Valley Unified Union School District #70 | — |
| High school in town | Hazen Union High School | — | Proctor Junior/Senior High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.6Lowest |
— | 8.7Highest |
— |
| 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.