Compare towns
Hardwick vs Sutton vs Williston 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 most affordable homes ($185k median).
Sutton has the most homeowners (85%).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
Barton has the most renters (26.1% rent).
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 | Sutton | Williston | Barton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,965 |
790Lowest |
10,144Highest |
2,815 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3% VT: +2.8% |
-11.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+16.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+2.2% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.1±7.4Highest 9% above VT |
46.6±5.7 8% above VT |
45.4±4.5 5% above VT |
44.9±6.5Lowest 4% above VT |
| Hardwick and Sutton 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% |
17.3%±3.4 VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
20.7%±3.8Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Barton and Williston 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% |
21.6%±2.7 VT: 21.4% |
21%±3.5Lowest 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% VT: 43.8% |
32.8% VT: 43.8% |
54.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
32.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2.4 VT: 7% |
2.3%±1.8Lowest VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7Highest VT: 7% |
2.9%±1.5 VT: 7% |
| Williston and Barton 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 |
$71,250±$18k 12% below VT |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above VT |
$66,250±$16kLowest 18% below VT |
| Williston 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 |
$231,100±$41k 27% below VT |
$475,800±$40kHighest 50% above VT |
$201,200±$28k 36% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $875±$406 29% below VT |
— | $1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
$793±$70Lowest 36% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,351 14% below VT |
$3,975 21% below VT |
$5,592Highest 11% above VT |
$3,355Lowest 33% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±41.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
37.8%±31.1Lowest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4 VT: 48.4% |
39.6%±12.5 VT: 48.4% |
| Hardwick and Williston 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% |
12.4%Highest VT: 10.1% |
4.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
10.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.4% VT: 73.2% |
85%Highest VT: 73.2% |
75.1% VT: 73.2% |
73.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Lowest 14 yrs older than VT |
1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
1966 10 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 23% above VT |
30 min 26% above VT |
20 minLowest 16% below VT |
35 minHighest 50% above VT |
| Work from home | 11.8%±6 VT: 16.9% |
11.6%±5.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
13.4%±5.7 VT: 16.9% |
| Williston and Barton 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 | — | #11 of 70 in VT | #38 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Mountain View Union Elementary School District #94 · Hazen Union High School District #26 | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Lake Region Union Elementary Middle School District · Lake Region Union High School District #24 |
| High school in town | Hazen Union High School | None in town | None in town | 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 | 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.