Compare towns
Barre vs Bennington vs Sandgate
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 expensive homes ($210k median).
Bennington has the most kids (15.8% under 18).
Sandgate has the most people working from home (34.6%).
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 | Sandgate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412 |
9,245Highest |
435Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
44.5±3 3% above VT |
55.7±5.4Highest 29% above VT |
| Kids under 18 | 13.5%±3.8 VT: 17.9% |
15.8%±3Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.1%±7.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Bennington 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% |
26.9%±3.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
26%±11.3 VT: 21.4% |
| Bennington and Sandgate 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%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
37.8%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
4.6%±2.4Highest VT: 7% |
2.3%±2.4Lowest VT: 7% |
| Bennington 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±$7k 19% below VT |
$54,257±$12kLowest 33% below VT |
$69,167±$19kHighest 15% below VT |
| Sandgate 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±$15kHighest 34% below VT |
$191,700±$28kLowest 39% below VT |
$193,800±$31k 39% below VT |
| Barre and Sandgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58Lowest 11% below VT |
$1,115±$57Highest 10% below VT |
— |
| Bennington and Barre 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 |
$4,331 14% below VT |
$2,778Lowest 45% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3 VT: 48.4% |
70.4%±17.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 17.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
11.4% VT: 10.1% |
9.7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
54.7% VT: 73.2% |
94.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1954 22 yrs older than VT |
1959Highest 17 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 21% below VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
27 minHighest 16% above VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
12.6%±5.8 VT: 16.9% |
34.6%±32.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Sandgate and Bennington 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 | #58 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.