Compare towns
Barnet vs Sheldon vs Worcester
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).
Sheldon has the youngest population (median age 40.9).
Worcester has the most people working from home (23.6%).
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 | Sheldon | Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,855 |
2,267Highest |
831Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.6% VT: +2.8% |
-2.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.7±5.3Highest 11% above VT |
40.9±3.5Lowest 5% below VT |
47±2.7 9% above VT |
| Barnet and Worcester 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% |
23.7%±3.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
12.8%±3.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Sheldon 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% |
12.6%±2.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
19.5%±2.5 VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.6% VT: 43.8% |
14.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
53%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1%±0.9Lowest VT: 7% |
2%±1.3 VT: 7% |
6.9%±4.7Highest VT: 7% |
| Worcester and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $67,386±$15kLowest 17% below VT |
$78,533±$25kHighest 3% below VT |
$73,833±$18k 9% below VT |
| Sheldon and Worcester 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 |
$272,400±$61kHighest 14% below VT |
$271,100±$27k 14% below VT |
| Sheldon and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $974±$72Lowest 21% below VT |
$1,286±$379Highest 4% above VT |
$1,023±$136 17% below VT |
| Sheldon and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,489Highest 11% below VT |
$3,578Lowest 29% below VT |
$4,421 12% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.3%±29.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
0%±27Lowest VT: 48.4% |
25.5%±37 VT: 48.4% |
| Barnet and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
5.9% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
89%Highest VT: 73.2% |
85.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 2 yrs older than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 17% above VT |
25 minLowest 7% above VT |
29 minHighest 22% above VT |
| Work from home | 13.3%±4.5 VT: 16.9% |
13%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
23.6%±4.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | |||
| School district | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.