Compare towns
Hardwick vs Walden vs Wayne 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 affordable homes ($185k median).
Walden has the most people working from home (21.4%).
Wayne has the oldest population (median age 62.6).
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 | Walden | Wayne | Elmore |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,965Highest |
1,037 |
1,033 |
964Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.1±7.4 21% above U.S. |
48.8±3.2 25% above U.S. |
62.6±3.6Highest 61% above U.S. |
45±3.5Lowest 16% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 15.8%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
14.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
12.3%±3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±9.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Elmore and Hardwick 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% |
20.4%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
40.1%±6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.6%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
26.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
42.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
47.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1%±0.8Lowest 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. |
$88,000±$15kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$90,938±$17k 13% 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±$39kLowest 44% below U.S. |
$238,900±$23k 28% below U.S. |
$266,700±$150k 20% below U.S. |
$315,800±$47kHighest 5% below U.S. |
| Elmore and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $875±$406Lowest 38% below U.S. |
$900±$136 36% below U.S. |
$1,031±$304 27% below U.S. |
$1,225±$263Highest 13% below U.S. |
| Elmore and Wayne 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. |
$3,944Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$3,967 27% above U.S. |
$5,066Highest 62% 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% |
38.9%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
31.8%±65.8Lowest 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% |
9.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Lowest 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 10% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
28 min 7% above U.S. |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.8%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.4%±6.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.3%±4.2Lowest 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.