Compare towns
Barre vs Barnet vs South Barre
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).
Barnet has the most people working from home (55%).
South Barre has the most expensive homes ($258k median).
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 | Barnet | South Barre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412Highest |
61Lowest |
1,346 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | -2.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
62.2±45.8Highest 44% above VT |
52.7±2.6 22% above VT |
| Barnet and South Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.5%±3.8 VT: 17.9% |
31.1%±29.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
9.9%±5.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Barnet and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±3.9 VT: 21.4% |
36.1%±44.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
11.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Barnet 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% VT: 43.8% |
59.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
34.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9Highest VT: 7% |
0%±23.2Lowest VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.5 VT: 7% |
| Barre and South Barre 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 VT |
$57,917±$16kLowest 29% below VT |
$78,050±$16kHighest 4% below VT |
| South Barre 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 34% below VT |
$204,200±$38kLowest 36% below VT |
$257,600±$25kHighest 19% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58Lowest 11% below VT |
— | $1,609±$371Highest 30% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192Highest 3% above VT |
$2,950Lowest 41% below VT |
$4,750 6% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
— | 36.1%±40.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
| South Barre and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 17.3% VT: 10.1% |
47.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7.4%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
100%Highest VT: 73.2% |
82.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 29 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1969Highest 7 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minHighest 21% below VT |
— | 15 minLowest 36% below VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
55%±29Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.5%±10.5 VT: 16.9% |
| Barnet and South Barre 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 | — | — |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | — | — |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7 |
— | — |
| 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.