Compare towns
Hardwick vs Ripton vs Stannard vs Wheelock
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 renters (23.6% rent).
Ripton has the most expensive homes ($394k median).
Stannard has the most homeowners (98.1%).
Wheelock has the most people working from home (21.1%).
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 | Ripton | Stannard | Wheelock |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,965Highest |
508 |
228Lowest |
717 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3% VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— | -6.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.1±7.4Lowest 9% above VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
48.3±14.6 12% above VT |
51±5.6Highest 18% above VT |
| Wheelock and Stannard 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% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
13.2%±9.1 VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Wheelock 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% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
25.9%±8.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.4%±4.7 VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Wheelock 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%Highest VT: 43.8% |
44.8% VT: 43.8% |
34.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2.4 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
0%±6.2Lowest VT: 7% |
2.8%±2.3 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $92,297±$17k 14% above VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$66,979±$30k 18% below VT |
$64,792±$20kLowest 20% below VT |
| Ripton and Hardwick 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 |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
$216,200±$44k 32% below VT |
$189,600±$37k 40% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $875±$406 29% below VT |
— | — | — |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,351 14% below VT |
$4,915Highest about the VT average |
$4,183 17% below VT |
$2,937Lowest 42% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±41.3 VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Ripton and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
3.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.9% VT: 73.2% |
98.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
97.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Lowest 14 yrs older than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1989Highest 13 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 23% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
27 min 16% above VT |
28 min 17% above VT |
| Work from home | 11.8%±6 VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
8.6%±5.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
21.1%±16Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Wheelock and Ripton 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 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — | — |
| 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 | 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.