Compare towns
Barre vs Bethlehem vs Sunapee
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%).
Sunapee has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.7%).
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 | Sunapee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412Highest |
2,537Lowest |
3,416 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Lowest 8% above U.S. |
50.6±8.5 30% above U.S. |
56.7±1.4Highest 46% above U.S. |
| Sunapee and Bethlehem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.5%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±5.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
9.9%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bethlehem and Barre 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% |
28.2%±5.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
33.3%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sunapee and Bethlehem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
50.6%Highest 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% |
4.5%±3.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Sunapee and Barre 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. |
$85,029±$18k 5% above U.S. |
$101,393±$20kHighest 26% above U.S. |
| Sunapee 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±$22k 13% below U.S. |
$393,000±$51kHighest 18% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$1,174±$81 17% below U.S. |
$1,713±$451Highest 21% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192 66% above U.S. |
$5,418Highest 74% above U.S. |
$4,400Lowest 41% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.3%±18.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
34.6%±10.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bethlehem and Sunapee 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% |
12.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
20 min 23% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
31.2%±12.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.5%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #19 of 70 in VT | #34 of 120 in NH | #14 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Bethlehem School District · Profile School District | Sunapee School District |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | Profile Senior High School | Sunapee Sr. High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7 |
8.9Lowest |
11.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.