Compare towns
Hardwick vs Sheldon vs Williamstown
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 affordable homes ($185k median).
Sheldon has the most kids (23.7% under 18).
Williamstown has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.7%).
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 | Sheldon | Williamstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,965 |
2,267Lowest |
3,579Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-2.5% VT: +2.8% |
+3.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.1±7.4Highest 9% above VT |
40.9±3.5Lowest 5% below VT |
42±5 about the VT average |
| Hardwick and Williamstown 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% |
23.7%±3.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
19.9%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Sheldon and Williamstown 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% |
12.6%±2.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
17%±3.9 VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
14.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
17.6% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2.4 VT: 7% |
2%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
4.8%±3.2Highest VT: 7% |
| Williamstown 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±$17k 14% above VT |
$78,533±$25kLowest 3% below VT |
$94,418±$10kHighest 16% above VT |
| Williamstown 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 |
$272,400±$61kHighest 14% below VT |
$234,900±$24k 26% below VT |
| Sheldon and Williamstown 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 |
$1,286±$379 4% above VT |
$1,659±$189Highest 34% above VT |
| Williamstown and Sheldon 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 |
$3,578Lowest 29% below VT |
$3,841 24% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±41.3 VT: 48.4% |
0%±27Lowest VT: 48.4% |
83.7%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Williamstown 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% |
5.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
89% VT: 73.2% |
90.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Lowest 14 yrs older than VT |
1984 8 yrs newer than VT |
1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 23% above VT |
25 min 7% above VT |
23 minLowest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 11.8%±6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
13%±3.7 VT: 16.9% |
13.9%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Williamstown and Sheldon 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 | — | #47 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Mountain View Union Elementary School District #94 · Hazen Union High School District #26 | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 |
| High school in town | Hazen Union High School | None in town | Williamstown Middle/High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.6Lowest |
— | 9.5Highest |
| 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.