Compare towns
Walden vs Guildhall vs Hardwick
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Walden has the most people working from home (21.4%).
Guildhall has the most kids (22.6% under 18).
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 | Guildhall | Hardwick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,037 |
371Lowest |
2,965Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— | -3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 48.8±3.2Highest 13% above VT |
42.6±7.8Lowest about the VT average |
47.1±7.4 9% above VT |
| Walden and Hardwick 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% |
22.6%±7.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
15.8%±4.4 VT: 17.9% |
| Guildhall and Hardwick 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% |
26.1%±5.5 VT: 21.4% |
27%±5.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Hardwick and Guildhall 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% |
33.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
33.7% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±2.1Highest VT: 7% |
1.1%±3.1Lowest 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±$15kLowest 8% above VT |
$115,000±$46kHighest 42% above VT |
$92,297±$17k 14% above VT |
| Guildhall and Hardwick 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 |
$321,200±$62kHighest about the VT average |
$184,700±$39kLowest 42% below VT |
| Guildhall and Walden 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 |
$850±$717Lowest 31% below VT |
$875±$406 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 | $3,944Lowest 22% below VT |
$4,625Highest 8% below VT |
$4,351 14% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.3%±86.8 VT: 48.4% |
75%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
48.6%±41.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Guildhall and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11.9%Highest VT: 10.1% |
9.7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
93.7% VT: 73.2% |
76.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
1958Lowest 18 yrs older than VT |
1962 14 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 10% above VT |
25 minLowest 7% above VT |
29 minHighest 23% above VT |
| Work from home | 21.4%±6.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
11.8%±6 VT: 16.9% |
| Walden and Hardwick 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 |
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.