Compare towns
Hartford vs Walpole 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 shortest commute (18 min average).
Walpole has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
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 | Walpole | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,736Highest |
3,690Lowest |
10,144 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.2±3.9Lowest 11% above U.S. |
46.5±10.4Highest 20% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5 17% above U.S. |
| Walpole and Williston 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% |
22.2%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Walpole and Williston 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% |
25.5%±5.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Walpole 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% |
32.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Williston 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. |
$82,617±$16k about the U.S. average |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above U.S. |
| Williston and Walpole 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. |
$319,800±$48k 4% below U.S. |
$475,800±$40kHighest 43% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,218±$118 14% below U.S. |
$1,165±$150Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,832±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,773 85% above U.S. |
$6,078Highest 95% above U.S. |
$5,592Lowest 79% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.6%±12.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.6%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Walpole and Williston 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% |
11.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
23 minHighest 13% below U.S. |
20 min 25% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.9%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±4.9Lowest 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 | #27 of 120 in NH | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Hartford School District | Fall Mountain Regional School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| High school in town | Hartford High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.6 |
— | — |
| 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.