Compare towns
Hardwick vs Wells vs Cavendish
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).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.6%).
Cavendish has the most people working from home (18.5%).
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 | Wells | Cavendish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,965Highest |
1,148Lowest |
1,242 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+5.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+1.8% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.1±7.4 9% above VT |
50.7±5.2Highest 18% above VT |
45.2±5.9Lowest 5% above VT |
| Wells 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% |
15.1%±4.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.3%±4.8Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Cavendish 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% |
24.5%±2.2 VT: 21.4% |
23.6%±2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Hardwick and Wells 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% |
29.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
39.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2.4Lowest VT: 7% |
3%±2.1 VT: 7% |
4.3%±1.9Highest VT: 7% |
| Cavendish and Wells 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 |
$75,417±$11kLowest 7% below VT |
$89,063±$29k 10% above VT |
| Hardwick and Cavendish 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 |
$243,000±$42k 23% below VT |
$285,100±$40kHighest 10% below VT |
| Cavendish and Wells 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 |
$1,313±$282Highest 6% above VT |
$1,000±$546 19% below VT |
| Wells and Cavendish 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 |
$3,308Lowest 34% below VT |
$3,948 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±41.3 VT: 48.4% |
62.5%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
28.9%±27Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Wells 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% |
15.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
6.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
93.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
81.3% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Lowest 14 yrs older than VT |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
1968 8 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 23% above VT |
48 minHighest 102% above VT |
19 minLowest 21% below VT |
| Work from home | 11.8%±6 VT: 16.9% |
11.3%±6.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
18.5%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Cavendish 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 | Wells Spring Unified Union School District #69 | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 |
| 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 | 18 photos → |
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.