Compare towns
Hardwick vs Summit vs Walden vs Elmore
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hardwick has the most renters (23.6% rent).
Summit has the most affordable homes ($150k median).
Walden has the most people working from home (21.4%).
Elmore has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.6%).
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.
| Measure | Hardwick | Summit | Walden | Elmore |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,965Highest |
976 |
1,037 |
964Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3% U.S.: +7.4% |
-6.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.1±7.4 21% above U.S. |
55.7±7.3Highest 43% above U.S. |
48.8±3.2 25% above U.S. |
45±3.5Lowest 16% above U.S. |
| Summit and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.8%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
14.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±9.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Elmore and Summit are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 27%±5.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
37.7%±8.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.6%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Summit and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
26.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
0%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Walden 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 U.S. |
$74,375±$26kLowest 8% below U.S. |
$88,000±$15k 9% above U.S. |
$98,750±$24kHighest 22% above U.S. |
| Elmore 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±$39k 44% below U.S. |
$150,000±$29kLowest 55% below U.S. |
$238,900±$23k 28% below U.S. |
$315,800±$47kHighest 5% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $875±$406Lowest 38% below U.S. |
— | $900±$136 36% below U.S. |
$1,225±$263Highest 13% below U.S. |
| Elmore and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,351 39% above U.S. |
$2,230Lowest 29% below U.S. |
$3,944 26% above U.S. |
$5,066Highest 62% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±41.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.3%±86.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.8%±65.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Walden 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
3.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Lowest 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 10% above U.S. |
34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.8%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
5.3%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.4%±6.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.4%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Walden 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 | — | — | — |
| School district | Mountain View Union Elementary School District #94 · Hazen Union High School District #26 | — | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 | Elmore-Morristown Unified Union School District #90 |
| High school in town | Hazen Union High School | — | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.6 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.