Compare towns
Proctor vs Hardwick vs Whitingham vs Topsham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Proctor has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Hardwick has the highest household income ($92k).
Whitingham has the most expensive homes ($262k median).
Topsham has the most people working from home (14.2%).
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 | Proctor | Hardwick | Whitingham | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,586 |
2,965Highest |
1,368 |
999Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-1% VT: +2.8% |
+2.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.3±8.9 10% above VT |
47.1±7.4 9% above VT |
46.4±7.1Lowest 8% above VT |
50.1±5.9Highest 16% above VT |
| Topsham and Proctor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±5 VT: 17.9% |
15.8%±4.4Lowest VT: 17.9% |
19.8%±4.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
18%±3.4 VT: 17.9% |
| Whitingham and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.5%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
27%±5.9 VT: 21.4% |
31.1%±2.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±4.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Whitingham and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
33.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
32.8% VT: 43.8% |
28.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.9Highest VT: 7% |
2.4%±2.4 VT: 7% |
2.2%±1.9 VT: 7% |
1.7%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
| Proctor and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $75,060±$12k 8% below VT |
$92,297±$17kHighest 14% above VT |
$70,625±$11kLowest 13% below VT |
$72,308±$60k 11% below VT |
| Hardwick and Proctor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $206,000±$20k 35% below VT |
$184,700±$39kLowest 42% below VT |
$262,300±$30kHighest 17% below VT |
$222,900±$56k 30% below VT |
| Whitingham and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,059±$200Highest 14% below VT |
$875±$406 29% below VT |
$673±$150Lowest 45% below VT |
$908±$398 26% below VT |
| Proctor and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,944Lowest 22% below VT |
$4,351 14% below VT |
$5,055Highest about the VT average |
$4,006 21% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.4%±15.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
48.6%±41.3 VT: 48.4% |
62.7%±47.3 VT: 48.4% |
91.9%±28.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Topsham and Whitingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 10% VT: 10.1% |
9.7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
15.5% VT: 10.1% |
18.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.3% VT: 73.2% |
76.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
85.2% VT: 73.2% |
90.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1962 14 yrs older than VT |
1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 5% below VT |
29 min 23% above VT |
38 minHighest 62% above VT |
35 min 49% above VT |
| Work from home | 10%±5 VT: 16.9% |
11.8%±6 VT: 16.9% |
9.7%±5.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
14.2%±5.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Topsham and Hardwick 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 | — | Mountain View Union Elementary School District #94 · Hazen Union High School District #26 | Twin Valley Unified School District #75 | Waits River Union High District #36 |
| High school in town | — | Hazen Union High School | Twin Valley Middle High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.6Highest |
7.8Lowest |
— |
| 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.