Compare towns
Hartford vs Deerfield vs Waterbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hartford has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Deerfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.4%).
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 | Deerfield | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,736Highest |
4,932Lowest |
5,405 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+13.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.2±3.9Highest 11% above U.S. |
42.8±4.2Lowest 10% above U.S. |
43.2±3.7Highest 11% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
21.9%±4.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Waterbury and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.5%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.5%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±4.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hartford and Waterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
47.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Hartford and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,125±$7kLowest 3% below U.S. |
$131,563±$10kHighest 63% above U.S. |
$103,917±$23k 29% above U.S. |
| Deerfield and Waterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $304,500±$26kLowest 8% below U.S. |
$421,000±$33k 27% above U.S. |
$447,200±$40kHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Waterbury and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,218±$118 14% below U.S. |
$1,593±$318Highest 13% above U.S. |
$1,027±$535Lowest 27% below U.S. |
| Deerfield and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,773Lowest 85% above U.S. |
$7,369Highest 136% above U.S. |
$6,435 106% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.6%±12.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
17.4%±17.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.8%±21.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
30 min 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.9%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.4%±6.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.3%±6.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Waterbury and Deerfield 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 | #34 of 70 in VT | #61 of 120 in NH | #20 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Hartford School District | Deerfield School District | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 |
| High school in town | Hartford High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.6 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.