Compare towns
Hartford vs Bellows Falls vs Wilder vs Waterbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bellows Falls has the most affordable homes ($196k median).
Wilder has grown the fastest since 2010 (+81.7%).
Waterbury has the most people working from home (28.3%).
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 | Hartford | Bellows Falls | Wilder | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,736Highest |
2,891Lowest |
3,087 |
5,405 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.4% VT: +2.8% |
-12.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+81.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+5.3% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 43.2±3.9 about the VT average |
41.3±6.7Lowest 4% below VT |
45.5±8.9Highest 6% above VT |
43.2±3.7 about the VT average |
| Wilder and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3 VT: 17.9% |
22.6%±6.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±4.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21.9%±4.9 VT: 17.9% |
| Bellows Falls and Waterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.5%±3.3 VT: 21.4% |
23.7%±5.7 VT: 21.4% |
27.3%±4.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.8%±4.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Wilder and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.6% VT: 43.8% |
27.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
60.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
54.2% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.7 VT: 7% |
8.2%±4.3Highest VT: 7% |
8.1%±3.9 VT: 7% |
3.4%±2.8Lowest VT: 7% |
| Bellows Falls and Wilder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $78,125±$7k 4% below VT |
$56,086±$2kLowest 31% below VT |
$75,143±$9k 7% below VT |
$103,917±$23kHighest 28% above VT |
| Waterbury and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $304,500±$26k 4% below VT |
$195,600±$35kLowest 38% below VT |
$273,200±$18k 14% below VT |
$447,200±$40kHighest 41% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,218±$118Highest about the VT average |
$1,038±$109 16% below VT |
$1,142±$451 7% below VT |
$1,027±$535Lowest 17% below VT |
| Hartford and Wilder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,773 15% above VT |
$4,448Lowest 12% below VT |
$5,505 9% above VT |
$6,435Highest 28% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.6%±12.7 VT: 48.4% |
43.9%±16.8 VT: 48.4% |
39.9%±17.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
46.8%±21.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Waterbury and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.1% VT: 10.1% |
25.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
9.3% VT: 10.1% |
7.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.8% VT: 73.2% |
50.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
62.9% VT: 73.2% |
70.6%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 min 22% below VT |
20 min 14% below VT |
17 minLowest 29% below VT |
30 minHighest 28% above VT |
| Work from home | 13.9%±3.5 VT: 16.9% |
6.9%±5.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
12.6%±6.7 VT: 16.9% |
28.3%±6.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #34 of 70 in VT | — | — | #20 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Hartford School District | — | — | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 |
| High school in town | Hartford High School | — | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.6 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.