Compare towns
Barre vs Berlin vs Royalton
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%).
Royalton has the most people working from home (17.8%).
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 | Royalton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412Highest |
2,880 |
2,752Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-1.3% VT: +2.8% |
-0.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
50.6±2.4Highest 17% above VT |
43.9±10.1 about the VT average |
| Berlin and Royalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.5%±3.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
16.6%±4.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.4%±5.8 VT: 17.9% |
| Berlin and Royalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
26.8%±4.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
22.1%±6.4 VT: 21.4% |
| Berlin and Royalton 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% |
42.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
3.9%±2.9 VT: 7% |
8%±4.2Highest VT: 7% |
| Royalton 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 VT |
$86,691±$21k 7% above VT |
$103,938±$24kHighest 28% above VT |
| Royalton 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 34% below VT |
$273,600±$31kHighest 14% below VT |
$263,200±$73k 17% below VT |
| Berlin and Royalton 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 |
$1,040±$391Lowest 16% below VT |
| Berlin and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192Highest 3% above VT |
$4,418Lowest 12% below VT |
$4,675 7% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
41%±19.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
36.7%±16.1 VT: 48.4% |
| Berlin and Royalton 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% |
13% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
87.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
63.5% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
1965 11 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 21% below VT |
21 minHighest 10% below VT |
20 min 13% below VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
11.7%±3.8 VT: 16.9% |
17.8%±7.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Royalton 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 | #16 of 70 in VT | #48 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | White River Unified School District #79 |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | None in town | White River Valley High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Highest |
— | 8.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.