Compare towns
Barre vs Bennington vs Keene
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 most kids (17.7% under 18).
Keene has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.5%).
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 | Keene |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412Lowest |
15,249 |
22,939Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6 8% above U.S. |
44.7±2.3Highest 15% above U.S. |
37.6±2.3Lowest 3% below U.S. |
| Bennington and Barre 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%±2.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Bennington and Keene 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% |
19.5%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
13.8%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $65,625±$7k 19% below U.S. |
$59,446±$7kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$78,445±$8kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Keene 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 37% below U.S. |
$213,300±$15k 36% below U.S. |
$252,500±$12kHighest 24% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$1,133±$63 20% below U.S. |
$1,342±$68Highest 5% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192 66% above U.S. |
$4,513Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$6,812Highest 118% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.8%±14.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.5%±6.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 17.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
55.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Highest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Highest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minHighest 30% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
17 min 35% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±2.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Keene 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 | #81 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 | Keene School District |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | Keene High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
14.7Highest |
12.3 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.