Compare towns
Hartford vs South Berwick 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%).
South Berwick has the most kids (26.7% under 18).
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 | South Berwick | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,736Highest |
7,670 |
5,405Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.2±3.9Highest 11% above U.S. |
39±2.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
43.2±3.7Highest 11% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
26.7%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.9%±4.9 U.S.: 22% |
| South Berwick 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% |
15.8%±3Lowest 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
41.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Hartford and South Berwick 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. |
$99,572±$13k 23% above U.S. |
$103,917±$23kHighest 29% above U.S. |
| Waterbury and South Berwick 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. |
$428,300±$26k 29% above U.S. |
$447,200±$40kHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Waterbury and South Berwick 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. |
$1,726±$83Highest 22% above U.S. |
$1,027±$535Lowest 27% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,773 85% above U.S. |
$4,956Lowest 59% above U.S. |
$6,435Highest 106% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.6%±12.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.5%±24.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.8%±21.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| South Berwick 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% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.9%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.6%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.3%±6.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Waterbury and South Berwick 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 | #58 of 133 in ME | #20 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Hartford School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 |
| High school in town | Hartford High School | Marshwood High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.6Lowest |
13.0Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.