Compare towns
Wells vs Hardwick vs Cabot
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.6%).
Hardwick has the most affordable homes ($185k median).
Cabot has the most people working from home (21.4%).
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 | Hardwick | Cabot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,148Lowest |
2,965Highest |
1,579 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+0.7% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 50.7±5.2Highest 18% above VT |
47.1±7.4 9% above VT |
40.3±6.6Lowest 6% below VT |
| Wells and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.1%±4.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
15.8%±4.4 VT: 17.9% |
27.2%±5.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 24.5%±2.2 VT: 21.4% |
27%±5.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
21%±6.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Hardwick and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
33.7% VT: 43.8% |
44.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±2.1Highest VT: 7% |
2.4%±2.4 VT: 7% |
2.2%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
| Wells and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $75,417±$11kLowest 7% below VT |
$92,297±$17kHighest 14% above VT |
$77,031±$16k 5% below VT |
| Hardwick and Cabot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $243,000±$42k 23% below VT |
$184,700±$39kLowest 42% below VT |
$268,500±$77kHighest 15% below VT |
| Cabot and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,313±$282Highest 6% above VT |
$875±$406Lowest 29% below VT |
$1,243±$354 about the VT average |
| Wells and Cabot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,308Lowest 34% below VT |
$4,351 14% below VT |
$4,639Highest 8% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.5%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
48.6%±41.3 VT: 48.4% |
44.1%±26.7Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Wells and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
9.7% VT: 10.1% |
9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
76.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
83.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
1962Lowest 14 yrs older than VT |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 48 minHighest 102% above VT |
29 minLowest 23% above VT |
30 min 27% above VT |
| Work from home | 11.3%±6.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
11.8%±6 VT: 16.9% |
21.4%±4.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Cabot 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 | Wells Spring Unified Union School District #69 | 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.