Compare towns
Hardwick vs Springfield vs Swanton
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).
Springfield has the most people working from home (15.1%).
Swanton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.3%).
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 | Springfield | Swanton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,965Lowest |
9,084Highest |
6,820 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3% VT: +2.8% |
-3.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+4.3%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.1±7.4Highest 9% above VT |
43.2±3.7Lowest about the VT average |
43.7±5.5 about the VT average |
| Hardwick and Swanton 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% |
18.6%±3.4 VT: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Swanton and Springfield 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% |
23.6%±3.7 VT: 21.4% |
19.5%±3.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Hardwick and Springfield 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% |
23.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
23.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2.4 VT: 7% |
2.3%±1.4Lowest VT: 7% |
3%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
| Swanton 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 |
$66,571±$13kLowest 18% below VT |
$81,371±$14k about the VT average |
| Hardwick and Swanton 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 |
$192,400±$20k 39% below VT |
$285,100±$35kHighest 10% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $875±$406Lowest 29% below VT |
$963±$100 22% below VT |
$1,257±$133Highest about the VT average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,351Lowest 14% below VT |
$4,807Highest 5% below VT |
$4,449 12% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±41.3 VT: 48.4% |
49.6%±15.6Highest VT: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.2Lowest 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% |
14.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
13% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.4% VT: 73.2% |
67.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
77.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 14 yrs older than VT |
1958Lowest 18 yrs older than VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 23% above VT |
27 min 16% above VT |
23 minLowest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 11.8%±6 VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±5.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
8.1%±3.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Springfield 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 | #64 of 70 in VT | #27 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Mountain View Union Elementary School District #94 · Hazen Union High School District #26 | River Valley Technical Center · Springfield School District | Missisquoi Valley School District #89 |
| High school in town | Hazen Union High School | Springfield High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.6Lowest |
14.3Highest |
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| 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.