Compare towns
Barre vs Braintree vs Brookfield
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).
Braintree has the oldest population (median age 58.4).
Brookfield has the most expensive homes ($339k median).
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 | Braintree | Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412Highest |
1,026Lowest |
1,486 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.7% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
58.4±2.4Highest 35% above VT |
47±5.9 9% above VT |
| Kids under 18 | 13.5%±3.8 VT: 17.9% |
12.3%±3.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±4.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Brookfield 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 VT: 21.4% |
33.2%±3.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
29.7%±6.4 VT: 21.4% |
| Braintree and Brookfield 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% |
30.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
45.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9Highest VT: 7% |
1.8%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
3.2%±2.4 VT: 7% |
| Barre and Brookfield 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 |
$79,803±$5k about the VT average |
$98,500±$23kHighest 21% above VT |
| Brookfield and Braintree 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 |
$217,700±$28k 31% below VT |
$339,300±$15kHighest 7% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58Highest 11% below VT |
$840±$405Lowest 32% below VT |
$975±$306 21% below VT |
| Barre and Brookfield 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 |
$3,908Lowest 22% below VT |
$4,560 10% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3 VT: 48.4% |
43.4%±29.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
30.4%±27.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Braintree and Barre 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% |
11.1% VT: 10.1% |
6.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
81% VT: 73.2% |
87.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 21% below VT |
26 min 11% above VT |
37 minHighest 55% above VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
19%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Brookfield and Braintree 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 | — | — |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.