Compare towns
Barre vs Bellows Falls vs Newport
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).
Bellows Falls has the most kids (22.6% under 18).
Newport has the most people working from home (16.8%).
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 | Bellows Falls | Newport |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412Highest |
2,891Lowest |
4,394 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2% VT: +2.8% |
-12.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-2.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6 about the VT average |
41.3±6.7Lowest 4% below VT |
46.4±4.3Highest 8% above VT |
| Newport and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.5%±3.8 VT: 17.9% |
22.6%±6.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Bellows Falls 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 VT: 21.4% |
23.7%±5.7 VT: 21.4% |
25.8%±4.7Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Newport and Bellows Falls 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% |
27.5% VT: 43.8% |
25.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
8.2%±4.3Highest VT: 7% |
2.8%±1.5Lowest VT: 7% |
| Bellows Falls and 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±$7kHighest 19% below VT |
$56,086±$2k 31% below VT |
$54,646±$12kLowest 33% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $210,400±$15kHighest 34% below VT |
$195,600±$35k 38% below VT |
$179,400±$11kLowest 43% below VT |
| Barre and Bellows Falls 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 |
$1,038±$109 16% below VT |
$850±$49Lowest 31% below VT |
| Barre and Bellows Falls 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 |
$4,448 12% below VT |
$4,036Lowest 20% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
43.9%±16.8 VT: 48.4% |
48.2%±15.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Newport and Bellows Falls 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% |
25.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
23% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
50.7% VT: 73.2% |
57.6%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 29 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1966Highest 10 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 21% below VT |
20 minHighest 14% below VT |
15 minLowest 38% below VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
6.9%±5.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.8%±8.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Newport 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 | — | #63 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | — | Newport City School District · North Country Union High School District |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | — | North Country Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7 |
— | 10.7 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.