Compare towns
Hartford vs Meredith vs Wilder
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 kids (18% under 18).
Meredith has the most people working from home (23.7%).
Wilder has grown the fastest since 2010 (+81.7%).
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 | Wilder |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,736Highest |
6,758 |
3,087Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+81.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.2±3.9Lowest 11% above U.S. |
55.5±3.7Highest 43% above U.S. |
45.5±8.9 17% above U.S. |
| Meredith and Wilder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Hartford and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.5%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
34.2%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.3%±4.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Meredith and Wilder 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% |
45.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
60.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.1%±3.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wilder and Hartford 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 3% below U.S. |
$87,019±$19kHighest 8% above U.S. |
$75,143±$9kLowest 7% below U.S. |
| Meredith 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 8% below U.S. |
$480,100±$48kHighest 44% above U.S. |
$273,200±$18kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,218±$118Highest 14% below U.S. |
$1,149±$304 19% below U.S. |
$1,142±$451Lowest 19% 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 | $5,773Highest 85% above U.S. |
$5,006Lowest 61% above U.S. |
$5,505 76% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.6%±12.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.5%±9.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.9%±17.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Meredith 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% |
7.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
62.9%Lowest 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 min 30% below U.S. |
26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
17 minLowest 37% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.9%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.6%±6.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #34 of 70 in VT | #62 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Hartford School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | — |
| High school in town | Hartford High School | Inter-Lakes High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.6Lowest |
11.1Highest |
— |
| 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.