Compare towns
Barnard vs Westford vs Duxbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barnard has the most kids (26.9% under 18).
Westford has the highest household income ($113k).
Duxbury has the shortest commute (23 min average).
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 | Barnard | Westford | Duxbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,211Lowest |
2,290Highest |
1,548 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8% VT: +2.8% |
+1.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+5.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.4±6 about the VT average |
44.1±8.6Highest about the VT average |
37.5±4.4Lowest 13% below VT |
| Westford and Barnard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 26.9%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
16.9%±4.6Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.8%±3.5 VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 22%±3.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
17.2%±3.2 VT: 21.4% |
13%±2.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Barnard and Westford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.3% VT: 43.8% |
52.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
58.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.8Lowest VT: 7% |
9.5%±4.6Highest VT: 7% |
6.5%±3.3 VT: 7% |
| Westford and Duxbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $97,581±$19kLowest 20% above VT |
$112,750±$12kHighest 39% above VT |
$105,208±$25k 30% above VT |
| Westford and Duxbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $402,600±$71k 27% above VT |
$424,500±$21kHighest 34% above VT |
$364,600±$27kLowest 15% above VT |
| Westford and Barnard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,372±$80 11% above VT |
$2,375±$1kHighest 92% above VT |
$1,318±$407Lowest 7% above VT |
| Westford and Barnard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,038Lowest 20% above VT |
$6,282 25% above VT |
$6,564Highest 30% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27%±19.8 VT: 48.4% |
29.8%±31Highest VT: 48.4% |
21.2%±21Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Westford and Barnard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.6% VT: 10.1% |
2.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
2.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4% VT: 73.2% |
86.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
82.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 5 yrs older than VT |
1982 6 yrs newer than VT |
1988Highest 12 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 21% above VT |
33 minHighest 42% above VT |
23 minLowest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 19.3%±10.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
19.1%±6.9 VT: 16.9% |
18.6%±3.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Barnard and Westford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union SD #51 | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Harwood Union Middle/High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.6 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.