What stands out worked out from the figures below

Barre has the most people working from home (6.5%).

Sheldon has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.7%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Barre	Sheldon
People
Population	1,910Lowest	2,216Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-9%Lowest NY: +4.2%	-1.7%Highest NY: +4.2%
Median age	45.2±6.7Lowest 14% above NY	48.9±7.6Highest 23% above NY
	Sheldon and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	24.4%±4.8Highest NY: 20.5%	14.9%±3.9Lowest NY: 20.5%
Age 65+	20.7%±2.8Lowest NY: 17.9%	25%±3.2Highest NY: 17.9%
	Sheldon and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	13%Lowest NY: 40.2%	13.7%Highest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	0.9%±0.8Lowest NY: 7%	3.3%±2.8Highest NY: 7%
	Sheldon and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$73,906±$14kHighest 14% below NY	$71,214±$5kLowest 17% below NY
	Barre and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$135,900±$28kLowest 68% below NY	$175,900±$14kHighest 58% below NY
	Sheldon and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,158±$208Highest 29% below NY	$818±$84Lowest 50% below NY
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,466Highest 47% below NY	$3,037Lowest 54% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	60.7%±35.3Highest NY: 52.1%	50.9%±21.3Lowest NY: 52.1%
	Barre and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	23.4%Highest NY: 14%	11.8%Lowest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	87.6%Highest NY: 54.3%	81.6%Lowest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY	1963Highest 4 yrs newer than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	21 minLowest 36% below NY	33 minHighest about the NY average
Work from home	6.5%±2.8Highest NY: 14.9%	2.2%±1.6Lowest NY: 14.9%
	Barre and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

NY 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.