Compare towns
Hartford vs Newmarket vs Plymouth 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%).
Newmarket has the most renters (47.1% rent).
Plymouth has the youngest population (median age 24.6).
Waterbury has the most people working from home (28.3%).
Plymouth is a college town. 33.7% 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 | Newmarket | Plymouth | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,736Highest |
9,463 |
6,601 |
5,405Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.2±3.9Highest 11% above U.S. |
41.2±1.9 6% above U.S. |
24.6±3.4Lowest 37% below U.S. |
43.2±3.7Highest 11% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3 U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
13.6%±3.6Lowest 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% |
16.1%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
12%±2.7Lowest 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% |
49.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
54% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
33.7%±3.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $78,125±$7k 3% below U.S. |
$100,845±$13k 25% above U.S. |
$77,027±$26kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$103,917±$23kHighest 29% above U.S. |
| Waterbury and Newmarket 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. |
$455,000±$22kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$292,400±$22kLowest 12% below U.S. |
$447,200±$40k 34% above U.S. |
| Newmarket and Waterbury 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. |
$1,671±$69Highest 18% above U.S. |
$1,108±$255 22% below U.S. |
$1,027±$535Lowest 27% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,773Lowest 85% above U.S. |
$8,734Highest 180% above U.S. |
$6,288 102% above U.S. |
$6,435 106% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.6%±12.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.3%±8.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
33.8%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.8%±21.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Waterbury and Newmarket 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% |
4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
52.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
56.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
70.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
28 min 7% above U.S. |
18 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.9%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.3%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.7%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
28.3%±6.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #34 of 70 in VT | #39 of 120 in NH | #47 of 120 in NH | #20 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Hartford School District | Newmarket School District | Plymouth School District · Pemi-Baker Regional School District | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 |
| High school in town | Hartford High School | Newmarket Jr.-Sr. High School | Plymouth Regional High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.6Lowest |
9.9 |
12.8Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.