Compare towns
Barre vs Bath vs St. Johnsbury
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).
Bath has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3%).
St. Johnsbury has the most kids (21% under 18).
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 | Bath | St. Johnsbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412 |
8,815Highest |
7,368Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Lowest 8% above U.S. |
45.4±3Highest 17% above U.S. |
42.8±3.8 10% above U.S. |
| Bath and St. Johnsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.5%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.5%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
21%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| St. Johnsbury and Bath 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% |
25.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bath and St. Johnsbury 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% |
42.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.5%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| St. Johnsbury and Bath 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. |
$69,390±$12kHighest 14% below U.S. |
$57,738±$9kLowest 28% below U.S. |
| Bath 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. |
$310,900±$30kHighest 7% below U.S. |
$177,700±$17kLowest 47% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58Highest 23% below U.S. |
$1,044±$116 26% below U.S. |
$914±$44Lowest 35% below U.S. |
| Barre and Bath 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. |
$3,847Lowest 23% above U.S. |
$3,916 26% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.3%±15.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48%±11 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bath and St. Johnsbury 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% |
12.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
64.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Highest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1944 36 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
24 minHighest 9% below U.S. |
20 min 26% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.6%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bath and St. Johnsbury 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 | #31 of 133 in ME | #60 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | RSU 01 - LKRSU | — |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | Morse High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
14.8Highest |
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| 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.