Compare towns
Barre vs Berlin vs Durham vs Bennington
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 (87.9%).
Durham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.8%).
Bennington has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Durham is a college town. 55.1% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Durham | Bennington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,412 |
2,880Lowest |
15,080 |
15,249Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6 8% above U.S. |
50.6±2.4Highest 30% above U.S. |
20.8±0.3Lowest 47% below U.S. |
44.7±2.3 15% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 13.5%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
16.6%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±2.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Bennington and Berlin 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% |
26.8%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±2.8 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% |
28.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
55.1%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $65,625±$7k 19% below U.S. |
$86,691±$21k 7% above U.S. |
$124,056±$21kHighest 54% above U.S. |
$59,446±$7kLowest 26% below U.S. |
| Durham 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. |
$273,600±$31k 18% below U.S. |
$504,300±$41kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$213,300±$15k 36% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$1,169±$171 17% below U.S. |
$1,429±$143Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,133±$63 20% below U.S. |
| Durham and Berlin 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. |
$4,418Lowest 42% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,513 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
41%±19.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±16 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.8%±14.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bennington and Durham 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% |
10.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
15.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
64.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 30% below U.S. |
21 minHighest 20% below U.S. |
19 min 27% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.7%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.4%±3.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Durham 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 | #16 of 70 in VT | #9 of 120 in NH | #58 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Oyster River Coop School District | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | None in town | Oyster River High School | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
— | 12.3 |
14.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 51 photos → | 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.