Compare towns
Hartford vs Kensington 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.4%).
Kensington has the highest household income ($165k).
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 | Kensington | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,736Highest |
2,009Lowest |
5,405 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.2±3.9Lowest 11% above U.S. |
43.3±5.9Highest 11% above U.S. |
43.2±3.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
| Kensington and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3 U.S.: 22% |
17.1%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.9%±4.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Waterbury and Hartford 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% |
18.8%±2.9Lowest 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Hartford and Kensington 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. |
$165,083±$18kHighest 104% above U.S. |
$103,917±$23k 29% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $304,500±$26kLowest 8% below U.S. |
$657,700±$47kHighest 98% above U.S. |
$447,200±$40k 34% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,218±$118 14% below U.S. |
$1,813±$627Highest 28% above U.S. |
$1,027±$535Lowest 27% below U.S. |
| Kensington 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. |
$9,637Highest 209% above U.S. |
$6,435 106% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.6%±12.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
24.4%±38.5Lowest 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% |
1.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.9%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.2%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.3%±6.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Waterbury and Kensington 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 | — | #20 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Hartford School District | Kensington 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.