Compare towns
Barre vs Bennington vs Epping vs Middlesex
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 most renters (49.6% rent).
Bennington has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Epping has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
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 | Epping | Middlesex |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,412 |
15,249Highest |
7,430 |
1,943Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Lowest 8% above U.S. |
44.7±2.3 15% above U.S. |
45.1±3.5Highest 16% above U.S. |
44.4±3.9 14% above U.S. |
| Epping and 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 U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.8 U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±3.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Middlesex and Epping 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% |
25.2%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bennington and Epping 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
37% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±3.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bennington and Middlesex 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. |
$59,446±$7kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$104,220±$7k 29% above U.S. |
$109,632±$13kHighest 36% above U.S. |
| Middlesex and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $210,400±$15kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$213,300±$15k 36% below U.S. |
$436,900±$35kHighest 31% above U.S. |
$376,300±$40k 13% above U.S. |
| Epping 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 23% below U.S. |
$1,133±$63 20% below U.S. |
$1,742±$576Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,333±$359 6% below U.S. |
| Epping and Middlesex 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. |
$4,513Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$6,936Highest 122% above U.S. |
$6,483 108% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.8%±14.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.8%±25.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bennington and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 17.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1986 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 30% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlesex and Epping 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 | #77 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Epping School District | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | Epping High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7 |
14.7Highest |
9.3Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.