Compare towns
Hardwick vs Walden vs Wells River
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 highest household income ($92k).
Walden has the most people working from home (21.4%).
Wells River has the most renters (52.1% 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 | Walden | Wells River |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,965Highest |
1,037 |
340Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+2.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 47.1±7.4 9% above VT |
48.8±3.2Highest 13% above VT |
42.7±12.7Lowest about the VT average |
| 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 VT: 17.9% |
14.3%±3.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.1%±6.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Wells River 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% |
20.4%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Hardwick and Walden 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% |
26.4% VT: 43.8% |
16.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2.4 VT: 7% |
4%±2.1Highest VT: 7% |
0.6%±3.1Lowest 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 |
$88,000±$15k 8% above VT |
$38,688±$5kLowest 52% below 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±$39k 42% below VT |
$238,900±$23kHighest 25% below VT |
$170,800±$103kLowest 46% below VT |
| Walden and Hardwick 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 |
$900±$136Highest 27% below VT |
$900±$336Highest 27% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,351Highest 14% below VT |
$3,944Lowest 22% below VT |
$4,154 18% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±41.3 VT: 48.4% |
56.3%±86.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
47.6%±14.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| 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% VT: 10.1% |
9.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
38.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.4% VT: 73.2% |
93.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
47.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 14 yrs older than VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 23% above VT |
26 minLowest 10% above VT |
34 minHighest 43% above VT |
| Work from home | 11.8%±6 VT: 16.9% |
21.4%±6.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
5.2%±9.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| 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 | — |
| High school in town | Hazen Union High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.6 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.