Compare towns
Barre vs Bethlehem vs Bennington vs Berlin
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).
Bethlehem has the most people working from home (31.2%).
Bennington has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Berlin has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.3%).
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 | Bethlehem | Bennington | Berlin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,412 |
2,537Lowest |
15,249Highest |
2,880 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Lowest 8% above U.S. |
50.6±8.5Highest 30% above U.S. |
44.7±2.3 15% above U.S. |
50.6±2.4Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 13.5%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±5.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±2.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.6%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
28.2%±5.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.8%±4.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bethlehem and Berlin 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% |
45.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.9%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bennington 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±$7k 19% below U.S. |
$85,029±$18k 5% above U.S. |
$59,446±$7kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$86,691±$21kHighest 7% above U.S. |
| Berlin and Bethlehem 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. |
$288,300±$22kHighest 13% below U.S. |
$213,300±$15k 36% below U.S. |
$273,600±$31k 18% below U.S. |
| Bethlehem and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$1,174±$81Highest 17% below U.S. |
$1,133±$63 20% below U.S. |
$1,169±$171 17% below U.S. |
| Bethlehem 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. |
$5,418Highest 74% above U.S. |
$4,513 45% above U.S. |
$4,418Lowest 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.3%±18.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.8%±14.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41%±19.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bennington and Bethlehem 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% |
10.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 30% below U.S. |
20 min 23% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
21 minHighest 20% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
31.2%±12.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.7%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bethlehem 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 | #34 of 120 in NH | #58 of 70 in VT | #16 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Bethlehem School District · Profile School District | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | Profile Senior High School | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7 |
8.9Lowest |
14.7Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.