Compare towns
Sandgate vs Hardwick vs Rupert vs Ira
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sandgate has the most people working from home (34.6%).
Hardwick has the most renters (23.6% rent).
Rupert has the most expensive homes ($363k median).
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 | Sandgate | Hardwick | Rupert | Ira |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 435 |
2,965Highest |
676 |
381Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-2.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 55.7±5.4 29% above VT |
47.1±7.4Lowest 9% above VT |
57.8±9.7Highest 34% above VT |
54.1±5.5 26% above VT |
| Rupert and Sandgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 13.1%±7.5 VT: 17.9% |
15.8%±4.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.9%±3.7 VT: 17.9% |
10.5%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Hardwick and Rupert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26%±11.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
27%±5.9 VT: 21.4% |
42.3%±8.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
28.9%±3.3 VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.8%Highest VT: 43.8% |
33.7% VT: 43.8% |
30.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
37.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±2.4 VT: 7% |
2.4%±2.4 VT: 7% |
2.1%±2.5Lowest VT: 7% |
3.4%±3.5Highest VT: 7% |
| Ira and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $69,167±$19kLowest 15% below VT |
$92,297±$17kHighest 14% above VT |
$88,229±$36k 9% above VT |
$71,827±$5k 12% below VT |
| Hardwick and Rupert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $193,800±$31k 39% below VT |
$184,700±$39kLowest 42% below VT |
$362,500±$63kHighest 14% above VT |
$272,900±$18k 14% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $875±$406Lowest 29% below VT |
— | $942±$52Highest 24% below VT |
| Ira and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,778Lowest 45% below VT |
$4,351 14% below VT |
$4,594Highest 9% below VT |
$4,146 18% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
48.6%±41.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
20%±100 VT: 48.4% |
36.4%±100 VT: 48.4% |
| Hardwick and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.7% VT: 10.1% |
9.7% VT: 10.1% |
6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
14.4%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
76.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
93.7% VT: 73.2% |
90.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959 17 yrs older than VT |
1962 14 yrs older than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1975Highest 1 yr older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 16% above VT |
29 minHighest 23% above VT |
27 minLowest 14% above VT |
28 min 20% above VT |
| Work from home | 34.6%±32.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
11.8%±6 VT: 16.9% |
18.6%±9.2 VT: 16.9% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Sandgate and Rupert 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 | — | — |
| High school in town | — | Hazen Union High School | — | — |
| 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.