What stands out worked out from the figures below

Whitingham has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1%).

Hardwick has the highest household income ($92k).

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	Whitingham	Hardwick
People
Population	1,368Lowest	2,965Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-1%Highest VT: +2.8%	-3%Lowest VT: +2.8%
Median age	46.4±7.1Lowest 8% above VT	47.1±7.4Highest 9% above VT
	Hardwick and Whitingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19.8%±4.5Highest VT: 17.9%	15.8%±4.4Lowest VT: 17.9%
	Whitingham and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	31.1%±2.3Highest VT: 21.4%	27%±5.9Lowest VT: 21.4%
	Whitingham and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	32.8%Lowest VT: 43.8%	33.7%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.2%±1.9Lowest VT: 7%	2.4%±2.4Highest VT: 7%
	Hardwick and Whitingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$70,625±$11kLowest 13% below VT	$92,297±$17kHighest 14% above VT
	Hardwick and Whitingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$262,300±$30kHighest 17% below VT	$184,700±$39kLowest 42% below VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$673±$150Lowest 45% below VT	$875±$406Highest 29% below VT
	Hardwick and Whitingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,055Highest about the VT average	$4,351Lowest 14% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	62.7%±47.3Highest VT: 48.4%	48.6%±41.3Lowest VT: 48.4%
	Whitingham 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%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	85.2%Highest VT: 73.2%	76.4%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1974Highest 2 yrs older than VT	1962Lowest 14 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	38 minHighest 62% above VT	29 minLowest 23% above VT
Work from home	9.7%±5.2Lowest VT: 16.9%	11.8%±6Highest VT: 16.9%
	Hardwick and Whitingham 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	Twin Valley Unified School District #75	Mountain View Union Elementary School District #94 · Hazen Union High School District #26
High school in town	Twin Valley Middle High School	Hazen Union High School
Students per teacherat that high school	7.8Lowest	8.6Highest
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.