Compare towns
Barre vs Augusta vs Bennington vs Berlin
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).
Augusta has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.2%).
Bennington has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Berlin has the most homeowners (87.9%).
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 | Barre | Augusta | Bennington | Berlin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,412 |
19,077Highest |
15,249 |
2,880Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Lowest 8% above U.S. |
42.5±2.4 9% above U.S. |
44.7±2.3 15% above U.S. |
50.6±2.4Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 13.5%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.9%±2.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
16.6%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Augusta and Bennington 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% |
21.5%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.8%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Berlin and Bennington 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% |
28.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bennington and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $65,625±$7k 19% below U.S. |
$47,979±$3kLowest 41% below U.S. |
$59,446±$7k 26% below U.S. |
$86,691±$21kHighest 7% above U.S. |
| Berlin and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $210,400±$15k 37% below U.S. |
$201,000±$18kLowest 40% below U.S. |
$213,300±$15k 36% below U.S. |
$273,600±$31kHighest 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58 23% below U.S. |
$919±$79Lowest 35% below U.S. |
$1,133±$63 20% below U.S. |
$1,169±$171Highest 17% below U.S. |
| Berlin and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192Highest 66% above U.S. |
$2,465Lowest 21% below U.S. |
$4,513 45% above U.S. |
$4,418 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.2%±8.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.8%±14.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41%±19.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bennington and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 17.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
18.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
53.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 30% below U.S. |
19 min 29% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
21 minHighest 20% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.7%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #19 of 70 in VT | #119 of 133 in ME | #58 of 70 in VT | #16 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | Cony | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
17.9Highest |
14.7 |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.