Compare towns
Hartford vs Waterbury vs Wilder
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hartford has the oldest housing (typical home built 1979).
Waterbury has the most people working from home (28.3%).
Wilder has grown the fastest since 2010 (+81.7%).
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 | Waterbury | Wilder |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,736Highest |
5,405 |
3,087Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.4% VT: +2.8% |
+5.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+81.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 43.2±3.9Lowest about the VT average |
43.2±3.7Lowest about the VT average |
45.5±8.9Highest 6% above VT |
| Wilder and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3 VT: 17.9% |
21.9%±4.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±4.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Waterbury 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 VT: 21.4% |
19.8%±4.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
27.3%±4.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
| 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 VT: 43.8% |
54.2% VT: 43.8% |
60.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.7 VT: 7% |
3.4%±2.8Lowest VT: 7% |
8.1%±3.9Highest VT: 7% |
| Wilder 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±$7k 4% below VT |
$103,917±$23kHighest 28% above VT |
$75,143±$9kLowest 7% below VT |
| Waterbury and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $304,500±$26k 4% below VT |
$447,200±$40kHighest 41% above VT |
$273,200±$18kLowest 14% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,218±$118Highest about the VT average |
$1,027±$535Lowest 17% below VT |
$1,142±$451 7% below VT |
| Hartford and Wilder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,773 15% above VT |
$6,435Highest 28% above VT |
$5,505Lowest 9% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.6%±12.7 VT: 48.4% |
46.8%±21.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
39.9%±17.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Waterbury and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.8% VT: 73.2% |
70.6%Highest VT: 73.2% |
62.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 3 yrs newer than VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 min 22% below VT |
30 minHighest 28% above VT |
17 minLowest 29% below VT |
| Work from home | 13.9%±3.5 VT: 16.9% |
28.3%±6.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
12.6%±6.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #34 of 70 in VT | #20 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Hartford School District | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 | — |
| High school in town | Hartford High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.6 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
VT 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.