Compare towns
Walden vs Mendon vs Hardwick vs Concord
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 homeowners (93.8%).
Mendon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
Hardwick has the most renters (23.6% rent).
Concord has the most affordable homes ($159k 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 | Mendon | Hardwick | Concord |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,037Lowest |
1,113 |
2,965Highest |
1,145 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.2% VT: +2.8% |
+8.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3% VT: +2.8% |
-7.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 48.8±3.2 13% above VT |
53.4±10.5Highest 24% above VT |
47.1±7.4Lowest 9% above VT |
49.8±6.6 16% above VT |
| Mendon and Concord 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% |
14.6%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
15.8%±4.4 VT: 17.9% |
15.9%±3.8Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Concord 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% |
29%±1.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
27%±5.9 VT: 21.4% |
27.1%±4 VT: 21.4% |
| Mendon and Concord are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.4% VT: 43.8% |
49.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
33.7% VT: 43.8% |
22.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±2.1Highest VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.1 VT: 7% |
2.4%±2.4 VT: 7% |
2.2%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Walden and Mendon 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 |
$100,524±$23kHighest 24% above VT |
$92,297±$17k 14% above VT |
$73,304±$9kLowest 10% below VT |
| Mendon 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 |
$357,000±$44kHighest 13% above VT |
$184,700±$39k 42% below VT |
$159,300±$8kLowest 50% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $900±$136 27% below VT |
$1,230±$651Highest about the VT average |
$875±$406Lowest 29% below VT |
$1,111±$29 10% below VT |
| Mendon and Concord 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 |
$5,342Highest 6% above VT |
$4,351 14% below VT |
$3,026Lowest 40% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.3%±86.8 VT: 48.4% |
88.6%±42.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
48.6%±41.3 VT: 48.4% |
43.3%±82.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Mendon and Walden 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% |
8.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.7% VT: 10.1% |
13.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
92.2% VT: 73.2% |
76.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
93.6% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1962Lowest 14 yrs older than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 10% above VT |
17 minLowest 28% below VT |
29 minHighest 23% above VT |
27 min 13% above VT |
| Work from home | 21.4%±6.7 VT: 16.9% |
22.5%±8.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
11.8%±6 VT: 16.9% |
8.7%±4.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Mendon 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 | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Hazen Union High School | None in town |
| 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 |
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.