Compare towns
Hartford vs Meredith 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 most affordable homes ($305k median).
Meredith has the oldest population (median age 55.5).
Waterbury has the most kids (21.9% under 18).
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 | Meredith | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,736Highest |
6,758 |
5,405Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.2±3.9Lowest 11% above U.S. |
55.5±3.7Highest 43% above U.S. |
43.2±3.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3 U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest 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%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
34.2%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9%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% |
2.9%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Hartford and Waterbury 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. |
$87,019±$19k 8% above U.S. |
$103,917±$23kHighest 29% above U.S. |
| Waterbury and Meredith 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. |
$480,100±$48kHighest 44% above U.S. |
$447,200±$40k 34% above U.S. |
| Meredith and Waterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,218±$118Highest 14% below U.S. |
$1,149±$304 19% below U.S. |
$1,027±$535Lowest 27% below U.S. |
| Hartford and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,773 85% above U.S. |
$5,006Lowest 61% above U.S. |
$6,435Highest 106% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.6%±12.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.5%±9.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.8%±21.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Meredith and Waterbury 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% |
7.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.9%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.7%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.3%±6.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Waterbury and Meredith 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 | #62 of 120 in NH | #20 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Hartford School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 |
| High school in town | Hartford High School | Inter-Lakes High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.6Lowest |
11.1Highest |
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| 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.