Compare towns
Barre vs Bennington vs Old Bennington vs Berlin
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).
Bennington has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Old Bennington has the most people working from home (46.7%).
Berlin has the oldest population (median age 50.6).
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 | Bennington | Old Bennington | Berlin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,412 |
9,245Highest |
182Lowest |
2,880 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.1% VT: +2.8% |
— | -1.3%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
44.5±3 3% above VT |
45±21.3 4% above VT |
50.6±2.4Highest 17% above VT |
| Berlin and Old Bennington 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% |
15.8%±3 VT: 17.9% |
22.5%±12Highest VT: 17.9% |
16.6%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Old Bennington and Berlin 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% |
26.9%±3.8 VT: 21.4% |
30.8%±8Highest VT: 21.4% |
26.8%±4.4 VT: 21.4% |
| Old Bennington and Bennington 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% |
34.5% VT: 43.8% |
84.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
28.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
4.6%±2.4Highest VT: 7% |
0%±7.8Lowest VT: 7% |
3.9%±2.9 VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Berlin 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 |
$54,257±$12kLowest 33% below VT |
$168,750±$53kHighest 108% above VT |
$86,691±$21k 7% above VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $210,400±$15k 34% below VT |
$191,700±$28kLowest 39% below VT |
$445,500±$105kHighest 41% above VT |
$273,600±$31k 14% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58 11% below VT |
$1,115±$57 10% below VT |
$1,063±$1kLowest 14% below VT |
$1,169±$171Highest 5% below VT |
| Berlin and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192 3% above VT |
$4,331Lowest 14% below VT |
$8,690Highest 72% above VT |
$4,418 12% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
70.4%±17.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
40%±100 VT: 48.4% |
41%±19.9 VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 17.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
11.4% VT: 10.1% |
0%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
10.9% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
54.7% VT: 73.2% |
93.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
87.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 29 yrs older than VT |
1954 22 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 21% below VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
28 minHighest 20% above VT |
21 min 10% below VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
12.6%±5.8 VT: 16.9% |
46.7%±3.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
11.7%±3.8 VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #19 of 70 in VT | #58 of 70 in VT | — | #16 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | — | — | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | — | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.