Compare towns
Barre vs Bennington vs Troy
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 people working from home (12.6%).
Troy has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.6%).
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 | Troy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412 |
9,245Highest |
1,749Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.1% VT: +2.8% |
+3.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
44.5±3Highest 3% above VT |
44.5±5.7Highest 3% above VT |
| Kids under 18 | 13.5%±3.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
15.8%±3 VT: 17.9% |
21.4%±3.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Troy and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±3.9 VT: 21.4% |
26.9%±3.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
17.7%±3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bennington and Barre 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% |
34.5% VT: 43.8% |
20.2%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
4.6%±2.4Highest VT: 7% |
2.7%±1.4Lowest 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 |
$87,938±$11kHighest 8% above VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $210,400±$15k 34% below VT |
$191,700±$28kLowest 39% below VT |
$233,200±$21kHighest 26% below VT |
| Troy and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58 11% below VT |
$1,115±$57Highest 10% below VT |
$646±$323Lowest 48% 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 |
$3,644Lowest 28% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3 VT: 48.4% |
70.4%±17.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
30.8%±26.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 17.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
11.4% VT: 10.1% |
8.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
54.7% VT: 73.2% |
86.6%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1954 22 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 21% below VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
24 minHighest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
12.6%±5.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
7.8%±2.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Bennington 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 | #58 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | — | Troy 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 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.