Compare towns
Barre vs Bennington vs Calais vs Middlesex
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 shortest commute (17 min average).
Calais has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.4%).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
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 | Calais | Middlesex |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,412 |
15,249Highest |
1,713Lowest |
1,943 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-2.7% VT: +2.8% |
+3.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+2.8% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6 about the VT average |
44.7±2.3Highest 4% above VT |
42±8.6Lowest about the VT average |
44.4±3.9 3% above VT |
| Bennington and Middlesex 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% |
17.7%±2.3 VT: 17.9% |
22.5%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
21.3%±3.1 VT: 17.9% |
| Calais and Middlesex 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% |
25.2%±2.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.6%±5.2 VT: 21.4% |
20.6%±3.7 VT: 21.4% |
| Bennington and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
36.9% VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
54.7% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6 VT: 7% |
7.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
5.2%±2.6 VT: 7% |
| Calais and Bennington 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 |
$59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
$100,625±$27k 24% above VT |
$109,632±$13kHighest 35% above VT |
| Middlesex and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $210,400±$15kLowest 34% below VT |
$213,300±$15k 33% below VT |
$390,300±$36kHighest 23% above VT |
$376,300±$40k 19% above VT |
| Calais and Middlesex 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 |
$1,133±$63 8% below VT |
$1,408±$392Highest 14% above VT |
$1,333±$359 8% above VT |
| Calais and Middlesex 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 |
$4,513Lowest 10% below VT |
$6,586Highest 31% above VT |
$6,483 29% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3 VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
49%±38.3 VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Calais 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% |
13.2% VT: 10.1% |
8.8% VT: 10.1% |
3.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
58.4% VT: 73.2% |
92.4% VT: 73.2% |
96.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1961 15 yrs older than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 21% below VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
31 minHighest 32% above VT |
27 min 17% above VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
23.4%±7.1 VT: 16.9% |
28.4%±10.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Middlesex and Calais 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 | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
14.7Highest |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.