Compare towns
Hardwick vs Ryegate vs Sheffield
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 people working from home (11.8%).
Ryegate has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.8%).
Sheffield has the most affordable homes ($172k median).
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 | Ryegate | Sheffield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,965Highest |
1,059 |
573Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.1±7.4Highest 9% above VT |
41.2±2.6Lowest 4% below VT |
42±8 about the VT average |
| Hardwick and Sheffield 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% |
23.2%±4.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.1%±6.6 VT: 17.9% |
| Ryegate and Sheffield 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% |
22.1%±1.5 VT: 21.4% |
19.2%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Hardwick and Ryegate 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% |
29.1% VT: 43.8% |
27.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2.4Lowest VT: 7% |
2.4%±1.4Lowest VT: 7% |
5.9%±4.7Highest VT: 7% |
| Sheffield 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 |
$66,484±$15k 18% below VT |
$58,333±$26kLowest 28% below VT |
| Hardwick and Ryegate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $184,700±$39k 42% below VT |
$219,300±$32kHighest 31% below VT |
$171,900±$50kLowest 46% below VT |
| Ryegate and Hardwick 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 |
$908±$236 26% below VT |
$967±$79Highest 22% below VT |
| Sheffield and Ryegate 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 |
$3,472 31% below VT |
$2,123Lowest 58% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±41.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
55.9%±29.7 VT: 48.4% |
61.5%±41.2Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Sheffield and Ryegate 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% |
14.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
6.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
84.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
83.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 14 yrs older than VT |
1949Lowest 27 yrs older than VT |
1987Highest 11 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 23% above VT |
28 minLowest 18% above VT |
30 minHighest 28% above VT |
| Work from home | 11.8%±6Highest VT: 16.9% |
8.2%±3.7 VT: 16.9% |
6.1%±2.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Hardwick and Ryegate 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 | — | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 |
| 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.