Compare towns
Hardwick vs Wallingford vs Williston
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).
Wallingford has the most homeowners (82.5%).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
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 | Wallingford | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,965 |
2,286Lowest |
10,144Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+2.4% VT: +2.8% |
+16.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.1±7.4Highest 9% above VT |
45.9±10.8 6% above VT |
45.4±4.5Lowest 5% above VT |
| Hardwick and Wallingford 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% |
18.7%±5 VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Williston and Wallingford 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% |
23.9%±3.2 VT: 21.4% |
21%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| 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% VT: 43.8% |
30.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
54.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2.4 VT: 7% |
1.5%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7Highest VT: 7% |
| Williston 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 VT |
$80,230±$15kLowest about the VT average |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above 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 |
$261,900±$44k 17% below VT |
$475,800±$40kHighest 50% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $875±$406Lowest 29% below VT |
$891±$95 28% below VT |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,351Lowest 14% below VT |
$4,355 14% below VT |
$5,592Highest 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±41.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
14.3%±13.5Lowest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4 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%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7% VT: 10.1% |
4.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.4% VT: 73.2% |
82.5%Highest VT: 73.2% |
75.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Lowest 14 yrs older than VT |
1971 5 yrs older than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 23% above VT |
25 min 6% above VT |
20 minLowest 16% below VT |
| Work from home | 11.8%±6 VT: 16.9% |
7.1%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Williston 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 | — | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Mountain View Union Elementary School District #94 · Hazen Union High School District #26 | Mill River Unified Union School District #52 | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| 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 |
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.