Compare towns
Hardwick vs Whitingham vs Worcester vs Barton
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).
Worcester has the most people working from home (23.6%).
Barton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.2%).
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 | Whitingham | Worcester | Barton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,965Highest |
1,368 |
831Lowest |
2,815 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3% VT: +2.8% |
-1% VT: +2.8% |
-3.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+2.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.1±7.4Highest 9% above VT |
46.4±7.1 8% above VT |
47±2.7 9% above VT |
44.9±6.5Lowest 4% above VT |
| Hardwick and Worcester 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% |
19.8%±4.5 VT: 17.9% |
12.8%±3.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
20.7%±3.8Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Barton and Whitingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 27%±5.9 VT: 21.4% |
31.1%±2.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.5%±2.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
23.5%±3.9 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% VT: 43.8% |
32.8% VT: 43.8% |
53%Highest VT: 43.8% |
32.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2.4 VT: 7% |
2.2%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
6.9%±4.7Highest VT: 7% |
2.9%±1.5 VT: 7% |
| Worcester and Barton 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±$11k 13% below VT |
$73,833±$18k 9% below VT |
$66,250±$16kLowest 18% below VT |
| Hardwick and Worcester 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±$30k 17% below VT |
$271,100±$27kHighest 14% below VT |
$201,200±$28k 36% below VT |
| Worcester and Whitingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $875±$406 29% below VT |
$673±$150Lowest 45% below VT |
$1,023±$136Highest 17% below VT |
$793±$70 36% below VT |
| Worcester and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,351 14% below VT |
$5,055Highest about the VT average |
$4,421 12% below VT |
$3,355Lowest 33% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±41.3 VT: 48.4% |
62.7%±47.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
25.5%±37Lowest VT: 48.4% |
39.6%±12.5 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% VT: 10.1% |
15.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
10.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.4% VT: 73.2% |
85.2% VT: 73.2% |
85.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
73.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Lowest 14 yrs older than VT |
1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
1966 10 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 23% above VT |
38 minHighest 62% above VT |
29 minLowest 22% above VT |
35 min 50% above VT |
| Work from home | 11.8%±6 VT: 16.9% |
9.7%±5.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
23.6%±4.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
13.4%±5.7 VT: 16.9% |
| Worcester and Barton 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 | — | — | #38 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 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Lake Region Union Elementary Middle School District · Lake Region Union High School District #24 |
| High school in town | Hazen Union High School | Twin Valley Middle High School | None in town | Lake Region Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.6 |
7.8Lowest |
— | 10.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.