Compare towns
Hartford vs Northwood vs Lee
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 shortest commute (18 min average).
Northwood has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
Lee has the most people working from home (27.6%).
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 | Northwood | Lee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,736Highest |
4,688 |
4,576Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.2±3.9Highest 11% above U.S. |
42.4±7.8Lowest 9% above U.S. |
42.9±1.9 10% above U.S. |
| Hartford and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.9%±5.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Lee 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% |
21.5%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lee and Hartford 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% |
38.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Lee 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±$7kLowest 3% below U.S. |
$129,375±$23k 60% above U.S. |
$131,579±$54kHighest 63% above U.S. |
| Lee and Northwood 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. |
$363,000±$13k 9% above U.S. |
$480,600±$61kHighest 44% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,218±$118Highest 14% below U.S. |
$1,201±$372Lowest 15% below U.S. |
— |
| Hartford and Northwood 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. |
$5,806 86% above U.S. |
$9,661Highest 210% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.6%±12.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
23.7%±29.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.3%±53.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hartford and Lee 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% |
7.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1970Lowest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.9%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.7%±6.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
27.6%±8.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lee and Northwood 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 | #24 of 120 in NH | #3 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Hartford School District | Northwood School District · Coe-Brown Northwood Academy School District | Oyster River Coop School District |
| High school in town | Hartford High School | Coe-Brown Northwood Academy | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.6Lowest |
11.5Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 10 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.