Compare towns
Barre vs Alstead vs Barre
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).
Alstead has the oldest population (median age 56).
Barre has grown the fastest since 2010 (0%).
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 | Barre | Alstead | Barre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412Highest |
1,551Lowest |
8,005 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
0%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Lowest 8% above U.S. |
56±3.3Highest 44% above U.S. |
48.4±4.2 24% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 13.5%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
12.3%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.6%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Barre and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.7%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Alstead and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.5%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $65,625±$7k 19% below U.S. |
$64,526±$11kLowest 20% below U.S. |
$93,210±$9kHighest 15% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $210,400±$15kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$271,600±$37k 18% below U.S. |
$281,400±$13kHighest 15% below U.S. |
| Barre and Alstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58Lowest 23% below U.S. |
— | $1,524±$399Highest 8% above U.S. |
| Barre and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192 66% above U.S. |
$5,322Highest 71% above U.S. |
$4,737Lowest 52% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
72.1%±22.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.4%±20.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Alstead and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 17.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
76% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1974Highest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
23 min 15% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.7%±4.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Barre and Alstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #19 of 70 in VT | — | #19 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Fall Mountain Regional School District | Barre Unified Union School District #97 |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.