Compare towns
Barre vs Bennington vs Lancaster
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (-2.7%).
Lancaster has the most homeowners (75.1%).
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 | Lancaster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412 |
15,249Highest |
3,216Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-8.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Lowest 8% above U.S. |
44.7±2.3 15% above U.S. |
45.5±6.9Highest 17% above U.S. |
| Lancaster 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% |
20.9%±6.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Lancaster and Bennington 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%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
28.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lancaster and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 U.S. |
$59,446±$7kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$68,911±$23kHighest 15% below U.S. |
| Lancaster 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. |
$215,700±$24kHighest 35% below U.S. |
| Lancaster and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58 23% below U.S. |
$1,133±$63Highest 20% below U.S. |
$1,019±$263Lowest 28% below U.S. |
| 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 66% above U.S. |
$4,513 45% above U.S. |
$4,226Lowest 35% 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% |
36.1%±17 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 17.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Highest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1942Lowest 38 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 30% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
23 minHighest 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.5%±6.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bennington and Lancaster 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 | #107 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 | White Mountains Regional School District |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
14.7Highest |
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| 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.