Compare towns
Walden vs Bow vs Hardwick vs Wells
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 the shortest commute (26 min average).
Bow has the most expensive homes ($507k median).
Hardwick has the most affordable homes ($185k median).
Wells has the oldest population (median age 50.7).
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 | Bow | Hardwick | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,037Lowest |
8,335Highest |
2,965 |
1,148 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.8±3.2 25% above U.S. |
41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
47.1±7.4 21% above U.S. |
50.7±5.2Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Wells 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 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.8%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
15.1%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27%±5.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.5%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hardwick and Wells 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% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
29.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Walden 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. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$92,297±$17k 14% above U.S. |
$75,417±$11kLowest 7% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $238,900±$23k 28% below U.S. |
$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$184,700±$39kLowest 44% below U.S. |
$243,000±$42k 27% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $900±$136 36% below U.S. |
$1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$875±$406Lowest 38% below U.S. |
$1,313±$282 7% below U.S. |
| Bow and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,944 26% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$4,351 39% above U.S. |
$3,308Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.3%±86.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±41.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
62.5%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Wells and Walden 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% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
15.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
76.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1962Lowest 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
27 min about the U.S. average |
29 min 10% above U.S. |
48 minHighest 80% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.4%±6.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.8%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.3%±6.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow 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 | — | #26 of 120 in NH | #68 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 | Bow School District | Mountain View Union Elementary School District #94 · Hazen Union High School District #26 | Wells Spring Unified Union School District #69 |
| High school in town | None in town | Bow High School | Hazen Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8Highest |
8.6Lowest |
— |
| 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.