Compare towns
Barre vs Berlin vs Brattleboro
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 homeowners (80%).
Brattleboro has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.1%).
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 | Berlin | Brattleboro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412 |
1,960Lowest |
12,122Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6 8% above U.S. |
41.3±5.3Lowest 6% above U.S. |
45.6±4.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
| Brattleboro 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% |
21.5%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
19%±2.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Berlin and Brattleboro 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% |
25.5%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brattleboro and Barre 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% |
46.5%Highest 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% |
4.1%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Berlin and Brattleboro 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±$25kHighest about the U.S. average |
$58,241±$8kLowest 28% below U.S. |
| Berlin 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. |
$214,600±$22k 35% below U.S. |
$257,300±$18kHighest 23% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58 23% below U.S. |
$1,160±$309Highest 18% below U.S. |
$1,074±$58Lowest 24% below U.S. |
| Berlin and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192 66% above U.S. |
$3,518Lowest 13% above U.S. |
$5,700Highest 83% 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% |
46.9%±9.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brattleboro and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 17.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
17.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1964Highest 16 yrs older than U.S. |
1955 25 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
19 min 28% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.9%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.9%±4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brattleboro 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 | — | #33 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | BERLIN CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | BERLIN MIDDLE SCHOOL/HIGH SCHOOL | Brattleboro Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Highest |
8.0Lowest |
9.0 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.