Compare towns
Walden vs Bath vs Hardwick vs Cabot
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Walden has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.2%).
Bath has the shortest commute (26 min average).
Hardwick has the most affordable homes ($185k median).
Cabot has the most kids (27.2% under 18).
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 | Bath | Hardwick | Cabot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,037Lowest |
1,097 |
2,965Highest |
1,579 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
0% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.8±3.2Highest 25% above U.S. |
48.6±8.6 25% above U.S. |
47.1±7.4 21% above U.S. |
40.3±6.6Lowest 4% above U.S. |
| Walden and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±5.8 U.S.: 22% |
15.8%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
27.2%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Cabot and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.1%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
27%±5.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±6.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hardwick and Bath 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
26.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
33.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Walden and Bath 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 9% above U.S. |
$67,813±$22kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$92,297±$17kHighest 14% above U.S. |
$77,031±$16k 5% below U.S. |
| 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 28% below U.S. |
$234,400±$23k 30% below U.S. |
$184,700±$39kLowest 44% below U.S. |
$268,500±$77kHighest 19% below U.S. |
| 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 36% below U.S. |
$1,438±$309Highest about the U.S. average |
$875±$406Lowest 38% below U.S. |
$1,243±$354 12% below U.S. |
| Bath and Cabot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,944Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$4,413 41% above U.S. |
$4,351 39% above U.S. |
$4,639Highest 49% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.3%±86.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
5.9%±61.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±41.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±26.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
76.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1962Lowest 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
29 min 10% above U.S. |
30 minHighest 13% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.4%±6.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.8%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.4%±4.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #68 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 | Bath School District | 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 |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.