Compare towns
Barnet vs Calais vs Wallingford 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 affordable homes ($248k median).
Calais has the most people working from home (23.4%).
Wallingford has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Sharon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.9%).
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 | Calais | Wallingford | Sharon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,855 |
1,713 |
2,286Highest |
1,577Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+3.4% VT: +2.8% |
+2.4% VT: +2.8% |
+3.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.7±5.3Highest 11% above VT |
42±8.6Lowest about the VT average |
45.9±10.8 6% above VT |
45.6±7.7 6% above VT |
| Barnet and Wallingford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.6%±4.9 VT: 17.9% |
22.5%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.7%±5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21%±5 VT: 17.9% |
| Calais and Barnet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 28.8%±3.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.6%±5.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
23.9%±3.2 VT: 21.4% |
25.1%±3.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Barnet and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.6% VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
30.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
37.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1%±0.9Lowest VT: 7% |
7.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
1.5%±1.1 VT: 7% |
1.5%±0.9 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $67,386±$15kLowest 17% below VT |
$100,625±$27kHighest 24% above VT |
$80,230±$15k about the VT average |
$84,375±$17k 4% above VT |
| Calais and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $247,900±$24kLowest 22% below VT |
$390,300±$36kHighest 23% above VT |
$261,900±$44k 17% below VT |
$346,700±$37k 10% above VT |
| Calais and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $974±$72 21% below VT |
$1,408±$392Highest 14% above VT |
$891±$95Lowest 28% below VT |
$1,386±$155 12% above VT |
| Calais and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,489 11% below VT |
$6,586Highest 31% above VT |
$4,355Lowest 14% below VT |
$5,903 17% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.3%±29.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
49%±38.3 VT: 48.4% |
14.3%±13.5Lowest VT: 48.4% |
19.8%±17.9 VT: 48.4% |
| Barnet and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.2% VT: 10.1% |
8.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7% VT: 10.1% |
3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% VT: 73.2% |
92.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
82.5% VT: 73.2% |
79.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1971Lowest 5 yrs older than VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 17% above VT |
31 minHighest 32% above VT |
25 minLowest 6% above VT |
26 min 12% above VT |
| Work from home | 13.3%±4.5 VT: 16.9% |
23.4%±7.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
7.1%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
12.7%±3.7 VT: 16.9% |
| Calais and Barnet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Mill River Unified Union School District #52 | Sharon School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.