Compare towns
Hartford vs Plainfield vs Dover 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).
Plainfield has the most homeowners (87.3%).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Waterbury has the most people working from home (28.3%).
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 | Plainfield | Dover | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,736 |
2,522Lowest |
33,364Highest |
5,405 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.2±3.9Highest 11% above U.S. |
38.9±6.5 about the U.S. average |
36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
43.2±3.7Highest 11% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3 U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.9%±4.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Waterbury 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% |
19.8%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±4.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hartford and Plainfield 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% |
46.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
52% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover 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. |
$122,656±$13kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$94,829±$7k 17% above U.S. |
$103,917±$23k 29% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and Waterbury 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. |
$442,400±$47k 33% above U.S. |
$436,700±$20k 31% above U.S. |
$447,200±$40kHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Waterbury and Plainfield 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. |
$1,674±$181Highest 18% above U.S. |
$1,607±$100 14% above U.S. |
$1,027±$535Lowest 27% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Dover 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. |
$7,904 153% above U.S. |
$8,249Highest 164% above U.S. |
$6,435 106% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.6%±12.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
31.8%±23.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.8%±21.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dover 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% |
5.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
22 min 17% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.9%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±8.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5 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 | #19 of 120 in NH | #64 of 120 in NH | #20 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Hartford School District | Plainfield School District | Dover School District | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 |
| High school in town | Hartford High School | None in town | Dover Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.6Lowest |
— | 12.7Highest |
— |
| 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.