Compare towns
Hardwick vs Topsham vs Walden
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).
Topsham has the most kids (18% under 18).
Walden has the most people working from home (21.4%).
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 | Topsham | Walden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,965Highest |
999Lowest |
1,037 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+2.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+2.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.1±7.4Lowest 9% above VT |
50.1±5.9Highest 16% above VT |
48.8±3.2 13% above VT |
| Topsham 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 VT: 17.9% |
18%±3.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.3%±3.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Topsham 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% |
23.2%±4.8 VT: 21.4% |
20.4%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Hardwick and Topsham 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% |
28.1% VT: 43.8% |
26.4%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2.4 VT: 7% |
1.7%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
4%±2.1Highest VT: 7% |
| 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±$17kHighest 14% above VT |
$72,308±$60kLowest 11% below VT |
$88,000±$15k 8% above VT |
| Hardwick and Walden 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 |
$222,900±$56k 30% below VT |
$238,900±$23kHighest 25% below VT |
| Walden and Topsham 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 |
$908±$398Highest 26% below VT |
$900±$136 27% below VT |
| Topsham and Walden 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 |
$4,006 21% below VT |
$3,944Lowest 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±41.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
91.9%±28.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
56.3%±86.8 VT: 48.4% |
| Topsham and Walden 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% |
18.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
9.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.3% VT: 73.2% |
93.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Lowest 14 yrs older than VT |
1981 5 yrs newer than VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 23% above VT |
35 minHighest 49% above VT |
26 minLowest 10% above VT |
| Work from home | 11.8%±6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
14.2%±5.8 VT: 16.9% |
21.4%±6.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Walden and Topsham 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 | Waits River Union High District #36 | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 |
| 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 Our Story | 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.