Below Average CostSafer than AverageMountain View Union Elementary School District #94
Hardwick - 9-13-25 · Ascended Dreamer / CC BY 4.0N main st · The original uploader was Vertexn at English Wikipedia. / Public domainJeudevine Library 93 North Main Street downtown Hardwick VT March 2013 · Artaxerxes / CC BY-SA 3.0United States Post Office 52 Mill Street downtown Hardwick VT March 2013 · Artaxerxes / CC BY-SA 3.0
Hardwick is a small town of 1,247 in Vermont, with a median household income of $57,798
and a 1.6% unemployment rate.
Its cost of living index is 93 (US average = 100), which is
7% below the national average.
Strengths:
Hardwick stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, lower-than-average crime.
Trade-offs:
No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Hardwick is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Hardwick city data on this page comes from official government sources —
the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 93.4
Hardwick's overall cost of living index is 93.4,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Hardwick costs roughly 7% less than the average American city.
Metric
Hardwick, VT
National Avg
Median Home Value
$151,500
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$817
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
53.3%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$57,798
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Safer than Average
Hardwick's violent crime rate is 133.5 per 100,000 residents
— 65% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
133.5 /100k
Property Crime
2236.3 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Hardwick is served primarily by Mountain View Union Elementary School District #94.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 13.5:1
(better than the national average of ~16:1).
Metric
Hardwick, VT
National Avg
School District
Mountain View Union Elementary School District #94
—
Elementary Schools
3
—
Middle Schools
N/A
—
High Schools
N/A
—
Student/Teacher Ratio
13.5:1
16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
19.6%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
95.9%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Hardwick sees average highs of 26.4°F in January
and 79.0°F in July,
with 47.4 inches of annual precipitation
and 125.6 inches of snow per year.
Hardwick's cost of living index is 93, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Hardwick roughly 7% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $151,500 and median rent is $817/month.
Hardwick's violent crime rate is 133.5 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 2236.3 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Hardwick are operated by Mountain View Union Elementary School District #94.
The district has 3 elementary, several middle, and several high schools.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 13.5:1. 19.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Hardwick, VT has a population of 1,247, a median household income of $57,798, and an unemployment rate of 1.6%.
It offers below-average costs of living, which stretches take-home pay further than in most American cities. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Hardwick averages 26.4°F in January and 79.0°F in July. Annual rainfall is 47.4 inches
with about 125.6 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Hardwick, VT is covered by 1 ZIP code: 05843.
The population of Hardwick, Vermont is 1,247 with a median age of 34.1. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Hardwick: cost of living index 93 (100 = US average), median home $151,500, median household income $57,798, crime index 64 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated C+. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Hardwick side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.
