Compare towns
Hardwick vs Rockingham vs Springfield
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).
Rockingham has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Springfield has the youngest population (median age 43.2).
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 | Rockingham | Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,965Lowest |
4,807 |
9,084Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-8.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.3% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.1±7.4Highest 9% above VT |
46.4±2.6 8% above VT |
43.2±3.7Lowest about the VT average |
| Hardwick and Rockingham 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% |
19.2%±4.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.6%±3.4 VT: 17.9% |
| Rockingham and Springfield 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% |
29.8%±5Highest VT: 21.4% |
23.6%±3.7Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Rockingham 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% VT: 43.8% |
37.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
23.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2.4 VT: 7% |
6.1%±2.9Highest VT: 7% |
2.3%±1.4Lowest VT: 7% |
| Rockingham 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 |
$70,857±$16k 13% below VT |
$66,571±$13kLowest 18% below VT |
| Hardwick and Rockingham 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 |
$210,900±$14kHighest 33% below VT |
$192,400±$20k 39% below VT |
| Rockingham and Springfield 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 |
$1,062±$101Highest 14% below VT |
$963±$100 22% below VT |
| Rockingham and Springfield 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 |
$4,887Highest 3% below VT |
$4,807 5% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±41.3 VT: 48.4% |
46.7%±13.7Lowest VT: 48.4% |
49.6%±15.6Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Springfield 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% |
16.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
14.8% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
61.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
67.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Highest 14 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1958 18 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 23% above VT |
20 minLowest 16% below VT |
27 min 16% above VT |
| Work from home | 11.8%±6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.9%±7.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±5.5 VT: 16.9% |
| Rockingham and Springfield 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 | #65 of 70 in VT | #64 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Mountain View Union Elementary School District #94 · Hazen Union High School District #26 | Rockingham School District | River Valley Technical Center · Springfield School District |
| High school in town | Hazen Union High School | None in town | Springfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.6Lowest |
— | 14.3Highest |
| 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.