Compare towns
Wells River vs Hardwick vs Orleans
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 highest household income ($92k).
Orleans has the most affordable homes ($156k 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 | Orleans |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 340Lowest |
2,965Highest |
809 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.7±12.7 about the VT average |
47.1±7.4Highest 9% above VT |
41.7±5.8Lowest 3% 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% |
17.9%±4.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Orleans and Wells River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
27%±5.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.7%±3.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Hardwick and Orleans 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% |
24.8% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.6%±3.1Lowest VT: 7% |
2.4%±2.4 VT: 7% |
3.7%±2.1Highest VT: 7% |
| Orleans 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 |
$57,159±$10k 30% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $170,800±$103k 46% below VT |
$184,700±$39kHighest 42% below VT |
$156,300±$18kLowest 51% below VT |
| Hardwick and Wells River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $900±$336Highest 27% below VT |
$875±$406 29% below VT |
$810±$94Lowest 34% below VT |
| Wells River and Hardwick 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 |
$3,019Lowest 40% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.6%±14.8 VT: 48.4% |
48.6%±41.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
27.3%±17.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Hardwick and Wells River 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% VT: 10.1% |
8.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 47.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
76.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
64.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1962Highest 14 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 43% above VT |
29 minLowest 23% above VT |
31 min 33% above VT |
| Work from home | 5.2%±9.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
11.8%±6Highest VT: 16.9% |
8.3%±3.7 VT: 16.9% |
| Hardwick and Orleans 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 | — | Mountain View Union Elementary School District #94 · Hazen Union High School District #26 | — |
| High school 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.