Compare towns
Barre vs Berlin vs Exeter
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%).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
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 | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412 |
2,880Lowest |
16,151Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Lowest 8% above U.S. |
50.6±2.4Highest 30% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 13.5%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.6%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Exeter and Berlin 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% |
26.8%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Berlin and Exeter 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% |
59.2%Highest 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% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $65,625±$7kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$86,691±$21k 7% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S. |
| Exeter 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. |
$456,600±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$1,169±$171 17% below U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192 66% above U.S. |
$4,418Lowest 42% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% 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% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter 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% |
10.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
21 min 20% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.7%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #19 of 70 in VT | #16 of 70 in VT | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | None in town | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
— | 12.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → |
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.