Compare towns
Stannard vs Walden vs Ripton vs Hardwick
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 most people working from home (21.4%).
Ripton has the most expensive homes ($394k median).
Hardwick has the most renters (23.6% rent).
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 | Ripton | Hardwick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 228Lowest |
1,037 |
508 |
2,965Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2.2% VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 48.3±14.6 12% above VT |
48.8±3.2Highest 13% above VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
47.1±7.4Lowest 9% above VT |
| Walden and Stannard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 13.2%±9.1 VT: 17.9% |
14.3%±3.9 VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
15.8%±4.4Highest 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%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
27%±5.9 VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Hardwick 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% |
48%Highest VT: 43.8% |
33.7% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0%±6.2Lowest VT: 7% |
4%±2.1 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
2.4%±2.4 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $66,979±$30kLowest 18% below VT |
$88,000±$15k 8% above VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$92,297±$17k 14% above VT |
| Ripton and Hardwick 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±$23k 25% below VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
$184,700±$39kLowest 42% below VT |
| 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 |
$3,944Lowest 22% below VT |
$4,915Highest about the VT average |
$4,351 14% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
56.3%±86.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
48.6%±41.3 VT: 48.4% |
| Walden and Ripton 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% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
9.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 98.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
93.8% VT: 73.2% |
90.9% VT: 73.2% |
76.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1962Lowest 14 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 16% above VT |
26 min 10% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
29 minHighest 23% above VT |
| Work from home | 8.6%±5.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
21.4%±6.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
11.8%±6 VT: 16.9% |
| Walden and Ripton 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 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Mountain View Union Elementary School District #94 · Hazen Union High School District #26 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | Hazen Union High School |
| 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.