Compare towns
Hardwick vs Walden vs Warner vs Wallingford
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 affordable homes ($185k median).
Walden has the most people working from home (21.4%).
Warner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.7%).
Wallingford has the most kids (18.7% under 18).
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 | Walden | Warner | Wallingford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,965Highest |
1,037Lowest |
2,959 |
2,286 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.1±7.4 21% above U.S. |
48.8±3.2Highest 25% above U.S. |
43.7±4Lowest 12% above U.S. |
45.9±10.8 18% above U.S. |
| Walden and Hardwick 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% |
14.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.3%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Wallingford and Warner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 27%±5.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.9%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hardwick and Wallingford 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% |
26.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
42.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Warner and Walden 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. |
$88,000±$15k 9% above U.S. |
$94,022±$18kHighest 16% above U.S. |
$80,230±$15kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Warner 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 44% below U.S. |
$238,900±$23k 28% below U.S. |
$353,100±$22kHighest 6% above U.S. |
$261,900±$44k 21% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $875±$406Lowest 38% below U.S. |
$900±$136 36% below U.S. |
$1,219±$123Highest 14% below U.S. |
$891±$95 37% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,351 39% above U.S. |
$3,944Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$7,650Highest 145% above U.S. |
$4,355 40% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±41.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.3%±86.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.7%±21.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
14.3%±13.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Walden and Warner 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% |
9.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
74.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Lowest 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 10% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.8%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.4%±6.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.6%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Walden and Warner 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 | Kearsarge Regional School District | Mill River Unified Union School District #52 |
| High school in town | Hazen Union High School | None in town | 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.