Compare towns
Barnet vs Bethel vs Sharon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barnet has the most people working from home (55%).
Sharon has the most expensive homes ($347k median).
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 | Barnet | Bethel | Sharon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 61Lowest |
1,736Highest |
1,577 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -4.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+3.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 62.2±45.8Highest 44% above VT |
50.7±3.7 18% above VT |
45.6±7.7Lowest 6% above VT |
| Barnet and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 31.1%±29.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.4%±3.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21%±5 VT: 17.9% |
| Barnet and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 36.1%±44.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
25.5%±3.7 VT: 21.4% |
25.1%±3.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Barnet and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
35.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
37.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0%±23.2Lowest VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.6 VT: 7% |
1.5%±0.9Highest VT: 7% |
| Sharon and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $57,917±$16kLowest 29% below VT |
$75,822±$7k 7% below VT |
$84,375±$17kHighest 4% above VT |
| Sharon and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $204,200±$38kLowest 36% below VT |
$238,000±$41k 25% below VT |
$346,700±$37kHighest 10% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,335±$220Lowest 8% above VT |
$1,386±$155Highest 12% above VT |
| Sharon and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,950Lowest 41% below VT |
$5,168 about the VT average |
$5,903Highest 17% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | — | 54%±22Highest VT: 48.4% |
19.8%±17.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Bethel and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 47.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.2% VT: 10.1% |
3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 100%Highest VT: 73.2% |
83.6% VT: 73.2% |
79.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1966 10 yrs older than VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | — | 28 minHighest 19% above VT |
26 minLowest 12% above VT |
| Work from home | 55%±29Highest VT: 16.9% |
7.1%±3.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
12.7%±3.7 VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | White River Unified School District #79 | Sharon School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| 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.