Compare towns
Barre vs Bennington vs Highgate
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 kids (17.7% under 18).
Highgate has the most homeowners (80.7%).
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 | Highgate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412 |
15,249Highest |
3,528Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-2.7% VT: +2.8% |
-1.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
44.7±2.3Highest 4% above VT |
44±7.4 about the VT average |
| Bennington and Highgate 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%±2.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
15.8%±5.3 VT: 17.9% |
| Bennington and Highgate 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% |
22.2%±5.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Bennington and Highgate 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% |
36.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
19.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
2.6%±2.1Lowest 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 |
$59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
$81,017±$14kHighest about the VT average |
| Highgate 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±$15kLowest 34% below VT |
$213,300±$15k 33% below VT |
$280,500±$21kHighest 11% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58 11% below VT |
$1,133±$63Highest 8% below VT |
$895±$691Lowest 27% 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 |
$4,513 10% below VT |
$3,558Lowest 29% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3 VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
30.5%±11.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 17.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
13.2% VT: 10.1% |
8.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
58.4% VT: 73.2% |
80.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1961 15 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 |
31 minHighest 32% above VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
14.9%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
| Bennington and Highgate 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 | #43 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 | Missisquoi Valley School District #89 |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | Missisquoi Valley Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7 |
14.7Highest |
9.8Lowest |
| 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.