What stands out worked out from the figures below

Waltham has the oldest population (median age 60.8).

Hancock has the youngest population (median age 33.8).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Waltham	Hancock
People
Population	452Highest	435Lowest
Median age	60.8±7.3Highest 41% above VT	33.8±11.6Lowest 22% below VT
Kids under 18	12.8%±7.4Lowest VT: 17.9%	17.2%±5.8Highest VT: 17.9%
	Hancock and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	45.4%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4%	19.8%±3.6Lowest VT: 21.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	39%Highest VT: 43.8%	34.3%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.1%±2.1Lowest VT: 7%	3.7%±3.6Highest VT: 7%
	Hancock and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$97,500±$14kHighest 20% above VT	$76,250±$34kLowest 6% below VT
	Waltham and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$329,700±$51kHighest 4% above VT	$187,900±$11kLowest 41% below VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,096±$113Highest 11% below VT	$939±$19Lowest 24% below VT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,714Highest 13% above VT	$3,511Lowest 30% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	29.2%±58.6Highest VT: 48.4%	3.5%±16.9Lowest VT: 48.4%
	Waltham and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.3%Lowest VT: 10.1%	5.6%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	86.3%Highest VT: 73.2%	59.5%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT	1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minHighest 18% above VT	28 minLowest 17% above VT
Work from home	20.6%±5.7Highest VT: 16.9%	11.7%±5Lowest VT: 16.9%
	Waltham and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.