Compare towns
Hartford vs Waterbury vs Windham
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).
Waterbury has the most people working from home (28.3%).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
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 | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,736 |
5,405Lowest |
16,038Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.2±3.9Highest 11% above U.S. |
43.2±3.7Highest 11% above U.S. |
41.1±2.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.9%±4.9 U.S.: 22% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Windham 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%±4.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Hartford and Windham 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. |
$103,917±$23k 29% above U.S. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $304,500±$26kLowest 8% below U.S. |
$447,200±$40k 34% above U.S. |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,218±$118 14% below U.S. |
$1,027±$535Lowest 27% below U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,773Lowest 85% above U.S. |
$6,435 106% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.6%±12.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.8%±21.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windham 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% |
7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
30 min 14% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.9%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
28.3%±6.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Waterbury and Windham 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 | #20 of 70 in VT | #13 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Hartford School District | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 | Windham School District |
| High school in town | Hartford High School | None in town | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.6Lowest |
— | 12.8Highest |
| 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.