Compare towns
Stannard vs Walden vs Hardwick vs Jay
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Stannard has the most homeowners (98.1%).
Walden has the shortest commute (26 min average).
Hardwick has the most renters (23.6% rent).
Jay has the most people working from home (27.3%).
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 | Stannard | Walden | Hardwick | Jay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 228Lowest |
1,037 |
2,965Highest |
471 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2.2% VT: +2.8% |
-3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+5.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 48.3±14.6 12% above VT |
48.8±3.2 13% above VT |
47.1±7.4Lowest 9% above VT |
52.1±10.5Highest 21% above VT |
| Jay and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 13.2%±9.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
14.3%±3.9 VT: 17.9% |
15.8%±4.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.2%±7.3 VT: 17.9% |
| Hardwick and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.9%±8.5 VT: 21.4% |
20.4%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
27%±5.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
15.5%±6.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Hardwick and Stannard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8% VT: 43.8% |
26.4%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
33.7% VT: 43.8% |
45.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0%±6.2Lowest VT: 7% |
4%±2.1Highest VT: 7% |
2.4%±2.4 VT: 7% |
1.9%±2.5 VT: 7% |
| Walden and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $66,979±$30kLowest 18% below VT |
$88,000±$15k 8% above VT |
$92,297±$17kHighest 14% above VT |
$74,792±$25k 8% below 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 | $216,200±$44k 32% below VT |
$238,900±$23kHighest 25% below VT |
$184,700±$39kLowest 42% below VT |
$234,200±$45k 26% below VT |
| Walden and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $900±$136Highest 27% below VT |
$875±$406Lowest 29% below VT |
— |
| Walden and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,183 17% below VT |
$3,944 22% below VT |
$4,351Highest 14% below VT |
$3,588Lowest 29% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
56.3%±86.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
48.6%±41.3 VT: 48.4% |
40%±100 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 | 3.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.3% VT: 10.1% |
9.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 98.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
93.8% VT: 73.2% |
76.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
97% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1983 7 yrs newer than VT |
1962Lowest 14 yrs older than VT |
2001Highest 25 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 16% above VT |
26 minLowest 10% above VT |
29 min 23% above VT |
40 minHighest 69% above VT |
| Work from home | 8.6%±5.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
21.4%±6.7 VT: 16.9% |
11.8%±6 VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±13.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Jay and Walden 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 | — | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 | Mountain View Union Elementary School District #94 · Hazen Union High School District #26 | Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Hazen Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 8.6 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.