Compare towns
Barnet vs Starksboro 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).
Starksboro has the most people working from home (18.5%).
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 | Starksboro | Sharon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,855 |
1,939Highest |
1,577Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-1.2% VT: +2.8% |
+3.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.7±5.3Highest 11% above VT |
38.2±4.8Lowest 11% below VT |
45.6±7.7 6% above VT |
| Barnet and Sharon 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% |
26.4%±4.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
21%±5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Starksboro 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% |
17.4%±2Lowest 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%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
39.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
37.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1%±0.9Lowest VT: 7% |
3.1%±1.9Highest VT: 7% |
1.5%±0.9 VT: 7% |
| Starksboro and Sharon 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 |
$82,188±$15k about the VT average |
$84,375±$17kHighest 4% above VT |
| Sharon and Starksboro 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 |
$287,700±$42k 9% below VT |
$346,700±$37kHighest 10% above VT |
| Sharon and Starksboro 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 |
$1,306±$91 6% above VT |
$1,386±$155Highest 12% above VT |
| Sharon and Starksboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,489Lowest 11% below VT |
$4,536 10% below VT |
$5,903Highest 17% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.3%±29.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
28.6%±26.3 VT: 48.4% |
19.8%±17.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Barnet and Starksboro 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% |
7% VT: 10.1% |
3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% VT: 73.2% |
91.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 2 yrs older than VT |
1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
1981 5 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 17% above VT |
29 minHighest 24% above VT |
26 minLowest 12% above VT |
| Work from home | 13.3%±4.5 VT: 16.9% |
18.5%±4.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
12.7%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Starksboro 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 | Mt. Abraham Unified School District #61 | Sharon School District |
| High school in town | None 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.