Compare towns
Hartford vs Mont Vernon vs Durham
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).
Mont Vernon has the most homeowners (95.9%).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
Durham is a college town. 55.1% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Mont Vernon | Durham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,736 |
2,636Lowest |
15,080Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.2±3.9Highest 11% above U.S. |
42.9±2.8 10% above U.S. |
20.8±0.3Lowest 47% below U.S. |
| Hartford and Mont Vernon 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% |
22.1%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Mont Vernon 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% |
15.6%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
55.1%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,125±$7kLowest 3% below U.S. |
$158,036±$19kHighest 96% above U.S. |
$124,056±$21k 54% above U.S. |
| Mont Vernon and Durham 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. |
$526,300±$39kHighest 58% above U.S. |
$504,300±$41k 52% above U.S. |
| Mont Vernon and Durham 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. |
$1,104±$185Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,429±$143Highest about the U.S. average |
| Durham 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. |
$9,432 202% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.6%±12.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.4%±80.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±16Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Durham and Mont Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
15.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
64.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1978Lowest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 13% above U.S. |
19 min 27% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.9%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
26.6%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.4%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Mont Vernon and Durham 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 | #4 of 120 in NH | #9 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Hartford School District | Mont Vernon School District | Oyster River Coop School District |
| High school in town | Hartford High School | None in town | Oyster River High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.6Lowest |
— | 12.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 51 photos → |
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.