Compare towns
Orange vs Hardwick vs Concord vs Walden
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Orange has the oldest population (median age 50.3).
Hardwick has the most renters (23.6% rent).
Concord has the most affordable homes ($159k median).
Walden has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.2%).
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 | Orange | Hardwick | Concord | Walden |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 957Lowest |
2,965Highest |
1,145 |
1,037 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.2% VT: +2.8% |
-3% VT: +2.8% |
-7.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+2.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 50.3±5.3Highest 17% above VT |
47.1±7.4Lowest 9% above VT |
49.8±6.6 16% above VT |
48.8±3.2 13% above VT |
| Orange and Concord are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.6%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
15.8%±4.4 VT: 17.9% |
15.9%±3.8Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.3%±3.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Concord and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
27%±5.9 VT: 21.4% |
27.1%±4Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.4%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Concord and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
33.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
22.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
26.4% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
2.4%±2.4 VT: 7% |
2.2%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
4%±2.1Highest VT: 7% |
| Walden and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $71,302±$13kLowest 12% below VT |
$92,297±$17kHighest 14% above VT |
$73,304±$9k 10% below VT |
$88,000±$15k 8% above VT |
| Hardwick and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $222,000±$22k 30% below VT |
$184,700±$39k 42% below VT |
$159,300±$8kLowest 50% below VT |
$238,900±$23kHighest 25% below VT |
| Walden and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,330±$153Highest 8% above VT |
$875±$406Lowest 29% below VT |
$1,111±$29 10% below VT |
$900±$136 27% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,545 30% below VT |
$4,351Highest 14% below VT |
$3,026Lowest 40% below VT |
$3,944 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±87Lowest VT: 48.4% |
48.6%±41.3 VT: 48.4% |
43.3%±82.4 VT: 48.4% |
56.3%±86.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Walden and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.7% VT: 10.1% |
13.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
9.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.8% VT: 73.2% |
76.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
93.6% VT: 73.2% |
93.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 5 yrs newer than VT |
1962Lowest 14 yrs older than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 19% above VT |
29 minHighest 23% above VT |
27 min 13% above VT |
26 minLowest 10% above VT |
| Work from home | 13.5%±4.3 VT: 16.9% |
11.8%±6 VT: 16.9% |
8.7%±4.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
21.4%±6.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Walden and Orange 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 | — | #68 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | Echo Valley Community Union School District #67 | Mountain View Union Elementary School District #94 · Hazen Union High School District #26 | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 |
| High school in town | None in town | Hazen Union High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.6 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.