Compare towns
Wilder vs Hartford vs St. Albans vs Royalton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wilder has grown the fastest since 2010 (+81.7%).
Hartford has the most expensive homes ($305k median).
St. Albans has the most renters (51% rent).
Royalton has the highest household income ($104k).
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 | Wilder | Hartford | St. Albans | Royalton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,087 |
10,736Highest |
6,954 |
2,752Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +81.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+7.4% VT: +2.8% |
-0.6% VT: +2.8% |
-0.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.5±8.9Highest 6% above VT |
43.2±3.9 about the VT average |
38.7±2Lowest 10% below VT |
43.9±10.1 about the VT average |
| Wilder and Royalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 11.8%±4.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18%±3 VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±3.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.4%±5.8 VT: 17.9% |
| St. Albans and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 27.3%±4.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
22.5%±3.3 VT: 21.4% |
13.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
22.1%±6.4 VT: 21.4% |
| Wilder and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
47.6% VT: 43.8% |
31.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
42.6% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.1%±3.9Highest VT: 7% |
4.9%±1.7 VT: 7% |
2.7%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
8%±4.2 VT: 7% |
| Wilder and Royalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $75,143±$9k 7% below VT |
$78,125±$7k 4% below VT |
$57,980±$7kLowest 29% below VT |
$103,938±$24kHighest 28% above VT |
| Royalton and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $273,200±$18k 14% below VT |
$304,500±$26kHighest 4% below VT |
$263,400±$18k 17% below VT |
$263,200±$73kLowest 17% below VT |
| Hartford and Wilder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,142±$451 7% below VT |
$1,218±$118Highest about the VT average |
$1,150±$78 7% below VT |
$1,040±$391Lowest 16% below VT |
| Hartford and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,505 9% above VT |
$5,773Highest 15% above VT |
$4,436Lowest 12% below VT |
$4,675 7% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.9%±17.2 VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±12.7 VT: 48.4% |
51.8%±11.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
36.7%±16.1Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| St. Albans and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11.1% VT: 10.1% |
19.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
13% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 62.9% VT: 73.2% |
67.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
49%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
63.5% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
1945Lowest 31 yrs older than VT |
1965 11 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 29% below VT |
18 min 22% below VT |
23 minHighest 4% below VT |
20 min 13% below VT |
| Work from home | 12.6%±6.7 VT: 16.9% |
13.9%±3.5 VT: 16.9% |
12.1%±3.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.8%±7.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Royalton and Hartford 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 | — | #34 of 70 in VT | #46 of 70 in VT | #48 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Hartford School District | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 | White River Unified School District #79 |
| High school in town | — | Hartford High School | Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans) | White River Valley High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.6 |
11.4Highest |
8.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.