Compare towns
Hardwick vs Sheffield vs Barton
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).
Sheffield has the most kids (34.7% under 18).
Barton has the most people working from home (13.4%).
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 | Sheffield | Barton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,965Highest |
190Lowest |
2,815 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | +2.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.1±7.4Highest 9% above VT |
32.5±2.3Lowest 25% below VT |
44.9±6.5 4% above VT |
| Hardwick and Barton 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% |
34.7%±13.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
20.7%±3.8 VT: 17.9% |
| Sheffield and Barton 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% |
13.2%±14Lowest VT: 21.4% |
23.5%±3.9 VT: 21.4% |
| Hardwick and Barton 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% |
16.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
32.7% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2.4 VT: 7% |
2.1%±5.8Lowest VT: 7% |
2.9%±1.5Highest VT: 7% |
| Barton 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 |
$65,795±$12kLowest 19% below VT |
$66,250±$16k 18% below VT |
| Hardwick and Barton 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 |
$122,700±$70kLowest 61% below VT |
$201,200±$28kHighest 36% below VT |
| Barton and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $875±$406 29% below VT |
$1,219±$563Highest about the VT average |
$793±$70Lowest 36% below VT |
| Sheffield and Hardwick 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 |
$1,714Lowest 66% below VT |
$3,355 33% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±41.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
36.4%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
39.6%±12.5 VT: 48.4% |
| Hardwick and Barton 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% |
8.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
10.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.4% VT: 73.2% |
85.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
73.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 14 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1966Highest 10 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 23% above VT |
21 minLowest 12% below VT |
35 minHighest 50% above VT |
| Work from home | 11.8%±6 VT: 16.9% |
8.6%±6.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
13.4%±5.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Barton and Hardwick 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 | — | #38 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Mountain View Union Elementary School District #94 · Hazen Union High School District #26 | — | Lake Region Union Elementary Middle School District · Lake Region Union High School District #24 |
| High school in town | Hazen Union High School | — | Lake Region Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.6Lowest |
— | 10.5Highest |
| 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.