Compare towns
Barre vs Bellows Falls vs Walpole vs Windsor
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 shortest commute (19 min average).
Bellows Falls has the most affordable homes ($196k median).
Walpole has the most expensive homes ($320k median).
Windsor has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.2%).
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 | Walpole | Windsor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,412Highest |
2,891Lowest |
3,690 |
3,554 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-12.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6 8% above U.S. |
41.3±6.7Lowest 6% above U.S. |
46.5±10.4Highest 20% above U.S. |
44.8±6.5 15% above U.S. |
| Walpole and Windsor 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% |
22.6%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Bellows Falls and Walpole 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% |
23.7%±5.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±5.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.7%±6.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Windsor and Walpole 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% |
27.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
32.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
39.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.7%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bellows Falls and Walpole 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. |
$56,086±$2k 31% below U.S. |
$82,617±$16kHighest about the U.S. average |
$52,484±$11kLowest 35% below U.S. |
| Walpole 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. |
$195,600±$35kLowest 41% below U.S. |
$319,800±$48kHighest 4% below U.S. |
$207,500±$31k 38% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58 23% below U.S. |
$1,038±$109 27% below U.S. |
$1,165±$150Highest 18% below U.S. |
$1,026±$89Lowest 27% below U.S. |
| Walpole and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192 66% above U.S. |
$4,448Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$6,078Highest 95% above U.S. |
$5,209 67% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
43.9%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.6%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.5%±17Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Walpole 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
25.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
50.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
57.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Highest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1945 35 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
20 min 24% below U.S. |
23 minHighest 13% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Barre and Windsor 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 | — | #27 of 120 in NH | #61 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | — | Fall Mountain Regional School District | — |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | — | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.