What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hardwick has the highest household income ($92k).

Whitingham has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Hardwick	Whitingham
People
Population	2,965Highest	1,368Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-3%Lowest VT: +2.8%	-1%Highest VT: +2.8%
Median age	47.1±7.4Highest 9% above VT	46.4±7.1Lowest 8% above VT
	Hardwick and Whitingham 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%	19.8%±4.5Highest VT: 17.9%
	Whitingham and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	27%±5.9Lowest VT: 21.4%	31.1%±2.3Highest VT: 21.4%
	Whitingham and Hardwick 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%	32.8%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.4%±2.4Highest VT: 7%	2.2%±1.9Lowest VT: 7%
	Hardwick and Whitingham 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	$70,625±$11kLowest 13% below VT
	Hardwick and Whitingham 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	$262,300±$30kHighest 17% below VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$875±$406Highest 29% below VT	$673±$150Lowest 45% below VT
	Hardwick and Whitingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,351Lowest 14% below VT	$5,055Highest about the VT average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	48.6%±41.3Lowest VT: 48.4%	62.7%±47.3Highest VT: 48.4%
	Whitingham and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	9.7%Lowest VT: 10.1%	15.5%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	76.4%Lowest VT: 73.2%	85.2%Highest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1962Lowest 14 yrs older than VT	1974Highest 2 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minLowest 23% above VT	38 minHighest 62% above VT
Work from home	11.8%±6Highest VT: 16.9%	9.7%±5.2Lowest VT: 16.9%
	Hardwick and Whitingham 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	Twin Valley Unified School District #75
High school in town	Hazen Union High School	Twin Valley Middle High School
Students per teacherat that high school	8.6Highest	7.8Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.