Compare towns
Wells River vs Hardwick vs Barton vs Whiting
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wells River has the most renters (52.1% rent).
Hardwick has the most homeowners (76.4%).
Barton has the most people working from home (16.5%).
Whiting has the most expensive homes ($280k 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 | Wells River | Hardwick | Barton | Whiting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 340Lowest |
2,965Highest |
730 |
532 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-6.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 42.7±12.7 about the VT average |
47.1±7.4Highest 9% above VT |
40±5.5 7% below VT |
39.6±2.7Lowest 8% below VT |
| Hardwick and Wells River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±6.5 VT: 17.9% |
15.8%±4.4Lowest VT: 17.9% |
24.1%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
23.5%±6.9 VT: 17.9% |
| Barton and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
27%±5.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.2%±4.2 VT: 21.4% |
13%±5.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Hardwick and Barton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
33.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
21.7% VT: 43.8% |
25.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.6%±3.1Lowest VT: 7% |
2.4%±2.4 VT: 7% |
1.9%±1.6 VT: 7% |
6.2%±4Highest VT: 7% |
| Whiting and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $38,688±$5kLowest 52% below VT |
$92,297±$17kHighest 14% above VT |
$40,833±$8k 50% below VT |
$91,250±$38k 12% above VT |
| Hardwick and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $170,800±$103k 46% below VT |
$184,700±$39k 42% below VT |
$146,900±$30kLowest 54% below VT |
$280,400±$36kHighest 11% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $900±$336 27% below VT |
$875±$406 29% below VT |
$761±$150Lowest 38% below VT |
$1,204±$519Highest about the VT average |
| Whiting and Wells River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,154 18% below VT |
$4,351Highest 14% below VT |
$3,185Lowest 37% below VT |
$4,227 16% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.6%±14.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
48.6%±41.3 VT: 48.4% |
58.8%±18.2Highest VT: 48.4% |
58.3%±37.3 VT: 48.4% |
| Barton and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 38.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
9.7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
25.8% VT: 10.1% |
11.5% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 47.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
76.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
52.7% VT: 73.2% |
65.4% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1962 14 yrs older than VT |
1945 31 yrs older than VT |
1975Highest 1 yr older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 43% above VT |
29 min 23% above VT |
31 min 32% above VT |
22 minLowest 7% below VT |
| Work from home | 5.2%±9.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
11.8%±6 VT: 16.9% |
16.5%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
10%±5.4 VT: 16.9% |
| Barton 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 | #38 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Mountain View Union Elementary School District #94 · Hazen Union High School District #26 | — | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 |
| High school in town | — | Hazen Union High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.6 |
— | — |
| 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.