What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hardwick has the highest household income ($92k).

St. Albans has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.6%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Hardwick	St. Albans
People
Population	2,965Lowest	6,954Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-3%Lowest VT: +2.8%	-0.6%Highest VT: +2.8%
Median age	47.1±7.4Highest 9% above VT	38.7±2Lowest 10% below VT
	Hardwick and St. Albans 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%	20.5%±3.7Highest VT: 17.9%
	St. Albans and Hardwick 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%	13.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 21.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	33.7%Highest VT: 43.8%	31.7%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.4%±2.4Lowest VT: 7%	2.7%±1.6Highest VT: 7%
	St. Albans 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	$57,980±$7kLowest 29% below VT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$184,700±$39kLowest 42% below VT	$263,400±$18kHighest 17% below VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$875±$406Lowest 29% below VT	$1,150±$78Highest 7% below VT
	St. Albans and Hardwick 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	$4,436Highest 12% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	48.6%±41.3Lowest VT: 48.4%	51.8%±11.8Highest VT: 48.4%
	St. Albans 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%	19.5%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	76.4%Highest VT: 73.2%	49%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1962Highest 14 yrs older than VT	1945Lowest 31 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minHighest 23% above VT	23 minLowest 4% below VT
Work from home	11.8%±6Lowest VT: 16.9%	12.1%±3.5Highest VT: 16.9%
	St. Albans 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	#46 of 70 in VT
School district	Mountain View Union Elementary School District #94 · Hazen Union High School District #26	Maple Run Unified Union School District #57
High school in town	Hazen Union High School	Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans)
Students per teacherat that high school	8.6Lowest	11.4Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.