Compare towns
Walden vs Barnet vs Cabot vs Hardwick
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barnet has the most people working from home (55%).
Cabot has the youngest population (median age 40.3).
Hardwick has the most affordable homes ($185k 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 | Walden | Barnet | Cabot | Hardwick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,037 |
61Lowest |
1,579 |
2,965Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— | +0.7% VT: +2.8% |
-3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 48.8±3.2 13% above VT |
62.2±45.8Highest 44% above VT |
40.3±6.6Lowest 6% below VT |
47.1±7.4 9% above VT |
| Barnet and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.3%±3.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
31.1%±29.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
27.2%±5.1 VT: 17.9% |
15.8%±4.4 VT: 17.9% |
| Barnet and Cabot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
36.1%±44.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
21%±6.4 VT: 21.4% |
27%±5.9 VT: 21.4% |
| Barnet and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.4%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
59.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
44.7% VT: 43.8% |
33.7% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±2.1Highest VT: 7% |
0%±23.2Lowest VT: 7% |
2.2%±1.6 VT: 7% |
2.4%±2.4 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 | $88,000±$15k 8% above VT |
$57,917±$16kLowest 29% below VT |
$77,031±$16k 5% below VT |
$92,297±$17kHighest 14% 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 | $238,900±$23k 25% below VT |
$204,200±$38k 36% below VT |
$268,500±$77kHighest 15% below VT |
$184,700±$39kLowest 42% below VT |
| Cabot and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $900±$136 27% below VT |
— | $1,243±$354Highest about the VT average |
$875±$406Lowest 29% below VT |
| Cabot and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,944 22% below VT |
$2,950Lowest 41% below VT |
$4,639Highest 8% below VT |
$4,351 14% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.3%±86.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
— | 44.1%±26.7Lowest VT: 48.4% |
48.6%±41.3 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 | 9.3% VT: 10.1% |
47.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.8% VT: 73.2% |
100%Highest VT: 73.2% |
83.7% VT: 73.2% |
76.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1962 14 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 10% above VT |
— | 30 minHighest 27% above VT |
29 min 23% above VT |
| Work from home | 21.4%±6.7 VT: 16.9% |
55%±29Highest VT: 16.9% |
21.4%±4.2 VT: 16.9% |
11.8%±6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Barnet 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 |
| High school in town | None 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.