Compare towns
Barre vs Berlin vs Newfane vs Bennington
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 renters (49.6% rent).
Berlin has the most homeowners (87.9%).
Newfane has the shortest commute (12 min average).
Bennington has the most people working from home (15.1%).
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 | Newfane | Bennington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,412 |
2,880 |
141Lowest |
15,249Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-1.3%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— | -2.7% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6 about the VT average |
50.6±2.4Highest 17% above VT |
30.8±12Lowest 29% below VT |
44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
| Kids under 18 | 13.5%±3.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
16.6%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
18.4%±16.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3 VT: 17.9% |
| Newfane 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 VT: 21.4% |
26.8%±4.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
16.3%±19.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8 VT: 21.4% |
| 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% VT: 43.8% |
28.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
64.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
36.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
3.9%±2.9 VT: 7% |
4.3%±11.4 VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Newfane 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 |
$86,691±$21kHighest 7% above VT |
$85,938±$84k 6% above VT |
$59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
| Berlin and Newfane 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 |
$273,600±$31k 14% below VT |
$347,400±$55kHighest 10% above VT |
$213,300±$15k 33% below VT |
| Newfane and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58 11% below VT |
$1,169±$171Highest 5% below VT |
$1,083±$331Lowest 12% below VT |
$1,133±$63 8% below VT |
| Berlin and Bennington 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 |
$4,418Lowest 12% below VT |
$5,833Highest 16% above VT |
$4,513 10% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3 VT: 48.4% |
41%±19.9 VT: 48.4% |
28.6%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
| 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 VT: 10.1% |
10.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
12.8% VT: 10.1% |
13.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
87.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
75% VT: 73.2% |
58.4% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 29 yrs older than VT |
1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1961 15 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 21% below VT |
21 minHighest 10% below VT |
12 minLowest 49% below VT |
17 min 27% below VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
11.7%±3.8 VT: 16.9% |
13.1%±14.2 VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Bennington and Newfane 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 | — | #58 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | — | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | None in town | — | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
— | — | 14.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.