Compare towns
Hartford vs Plymouth vs Wilder vs Williston
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 oldest housing (typical home built 1979).
Plymouth has the youngest population (median age 24.6).
Wilder has grown the fastest since 2010 (+81.7%).
Williston has the most people working from home (22.3%).
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 | Plymouth | Wilder | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,736Highest |
6,601 |
3,087Lowest |
10,144 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+81.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.2±3.9 11% above U.S. |
24.6±3.4Lowest 37% below U.S. |
45.5±8.9Highest 17% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5 17% above U.S. |
| Wilder and Williston 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% |
13.6%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Williston 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% |
12%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.3%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wilder 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
33.7%±3.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.1%±3.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $78,125±$7k 3% below U.S. |
$77,027±$26k 5% below U.S. |
$75,143±$9kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $304,500±$26k 8% below U.S. |
$292,400±$22k 12% below U.S. |
$273,200±$18kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$475,800±$40kHighest 43% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,218±$118 14% below U.S. |
$1,108±$255Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,142±$451 19% below U.S. |
$1,832±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,773 85% above U.S. |
$6,288Highest 102% above U.S. |
$5,505Lowest 76% above U.S. |
$5,592 79% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.6%±12.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
33.8%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.9%±17.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Williston and Hartford 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% |
18.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
56.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
62.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 min 30% below U.S. |
18 min 30% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 37% below U.S. |
20 minHighest 25% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.9%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.7%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.6%±6.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Williston and Hartford 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 | #47 of 120 in NH | — | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Hartford School District | Plymouth School District · Pemi-Baker Regional School District | — | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| High school in town | Hartford High School | Plymouth Regional High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.6Lowest |
12.8Highest |
— | — |
| 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.