Compare towns
Hartford vs Windham vs Wilder
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).
Windham has the highest household income ($108k).
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 | Windham | Wilder |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,736 |
19,188Highest |
3,087Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+81.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.2±3.9 11% above U.S. |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% above U.S. |
45.5±8.9Highest 17% above U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Windham 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% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.3%±4.4Highest 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
60.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.1%±3.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 3% below U.S. |
$107,934±$14kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$75,143±$9kLowest 7% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $304,500±$26k 8% below U.S. |
$388,900±$22kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$273,200±$18kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,218±$118 14% below U.S. |
$1,232±$332Highest 13% below U.S. |
$1,142±$451Lowest 19% below U.S. |
| Windham and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,773Highest 85% above U.S. |
$3,938Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$5,505 76% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.6%±12.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.9%±17.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hartford and Wilder 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% |
9.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
62.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 min 30% below U.S. |
26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
17 minLowest 37% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.9%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.6%±6.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windham 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 | #95 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Hartford School District | RSU 14 | — |
| High school in town | Hartford High School | Windham High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.6Lowest |
12.1Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.