Compare towns
Barre vs Barton vs Wells River
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 highest household income ($66k).
Barton has the most people working from home (16.5%).
Wells River has the most renters (52.1% rent).
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 | Barton | Wells River |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412Highest |
730 |
340Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-6.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6 about the VT average |
40±5.5Lowest 7% below VT |
42.7±12.7Highest about the VT average |
| Wells River and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.5%±3.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
24.1%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.1%±6.5 VT: 17.9% |
| Barton and Wells River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21.2%±4.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Barton 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%Highest VT: 43.8% |
21.7% VT: 43.8% |
16.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9Highest VT: 7% |
1.9%±1.6 VT: 7% |
0.6%±3.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Barre and Barton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $65,625±$7kHighest 19% below VT |
$40,833±$8k 50% below VT |
$38,688±$5kLowest 52% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $210,400±$15kHighest 34% below VT |
$146,900±$30kLowest 54% below VT |
$170,800±$103k 46% below VT |
| Barre and Wells River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58Highest 11% below VT |
$761±$150Lowest 38% below VT |
$900±$336 27% below VT |
| Barre and Wells River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192Highest 3% above VT |
$3,185Lowest 37% below VT |
$4,154 18% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
58.8%±18.2Highest VT: 48.4% |
47.6%±14.8 VT: 48.4% |
| Barton and Wells River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 17.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
25.8% VT: 10.1% |
38.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4% VT: 73.2% |
52.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
47.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Highest 29 yrs older than VT |
1945 31 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 21% below VT |
31 min 32% above VT |
34 minHighest 43% above VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
16.5%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
5.2%±9.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Barton and 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 | #38 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.