Compare towns
Barre vs Bennington vs Morrisville vs White River Junction
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 affordable homes ($210k median).
Bennington has the most homeowners (58.4%).
Morrisville has the oldest population (median age 45.3).
White River Junction has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.8%).
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 | Morrisville | White River Junction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,412 |
15,249Highest |
2,664Lowest |
3,364 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-2.7% VT: +2.8% |
+6.5% VT: +2.8% |
+10.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6 about the VT average |
44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
45.3±6Highest 5% above VT |
33.7±3.2Lowest 22% below VT |
| Morrisville 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 VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
15.1%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
17.1%±5 VT: 17.9% |
| Bennington and White River Junction are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±3.9 VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.9%±3.9 VT: 21.4% |
12.5%±3.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bennington and Morrisville 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% VT: 43.8% |
32.8%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
38.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6 VT: 7% |
10.6%±5.5Highest VT: 7% |
1.2%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Morrisville 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 |
$68,240±$15k 16% below VT |
$77,168±$4kHighest 5% below VT |
| White River Junction and Morrisville 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 |
$276,300±$20k 13% below VT |
$278,800±$78kHighest 12% below VT |
| White River Junction and Morrisville 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 |
$1,289±$116Highest 4% above VT |
$1,222±$216 about the VT average |
| Morrisville and White River Junction 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 |
$4,542 10% below VT |
$5,651Highest 12% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
49.5%±15.1 VT: 48.4% |
42.9%±17.3 VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Morrisville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 17.3% VT: 10.1% |
13.2% VT: 10.1% |
17.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
12.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4% VT: 73.2% |
58.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
52.5% VT: 73.2% |
43.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1961 15 yrs older than VT |
1973Highest 3 yrs older than VT |
1963 13 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 21% below VT |
17 min 27% below VT |
22 minHighest 5% below VT |
15 minLowest 35% below VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
12.9%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
15.7%±5.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
| White River Junction 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 | — | — |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | — | — |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | — | — |
| 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.