Compare towns
Barre vs Berlin vs Bennington vs Berlin
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).
Berlin has the most kids (21.5% under 18).
Bennington has the most people working from home (15.1%).
Berlin has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.3%).
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 | Berlin | Bennington | Berlin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,412 |
1,960Lowest |
15,249Highest |
2,880 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6 8% above U.S. |
41.3±5.3Lowest 6% above U.S. |
44.7±2.3 15% above U.S. |
50.6±2.4Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 13.5%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.5%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
16.6%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Berlin and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±3.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.8%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Berlin 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% |
24.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Berlin 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 U.S. |
$80,313±$25k about the U.S. average |
$59,446±$7kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$86,691±$21kHighest 7% above U.S. |
| Berlin and Berlin 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. |
$214,600±$22k 35% below U.S. |
$213,300±$15k 36% below U.S. |
$273,600±$31kHighest 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$1,160±$309 18% below U.S. |
$1,133±$63 20% below U.S. |
$1,169±$171Highest 17% below U.S. |
| Berlin and Berlin 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. |
$3,518Lowest 13% above U.S. |
$4,513 45% above U.S. |
$4,418 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
19.7%±17.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.8%±14.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41%±19.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bennington and Berlin 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% |
6.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1964 16 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 30% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
21 min 20% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.9%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.7%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bennington and Berlin 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 | #16 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | BERLIN CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | BERLIN MIDDLE SCHOOL/HIGH SCHOOL | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7 |
8.0Lowest |
14.7Highest |
— |
| 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.