Compare towns
Barre vs Brandon vs Chester
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).
Brandon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.1%).
Chester has the most people working from home (14%).
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 | Brandon | Chester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412Highest |
4,120 |
2,992Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+4.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-4.7% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
50.1±3.1Highest 16% above VT |
49.7±4.7 15% above VT |
| Brandon and Chester 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% |
19.2%±4.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.1%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Brandon and Chester 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% |
22.3%±4.1 VT: 21.4% |
29.8%±7.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Chester and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
32.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
33.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
2.5%±1.7Lowest VT: 7% |
5.1%±4Highest VT: 7% |
| Chester 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±$7kHighest 19% below VT |
$64,180±$12k 21% below VT |
$62,125±$8kLowest 23% below VT |
| Barre and Brandon 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 |
$227,800±$23k 28% below VT |
$232,900±$44kHighest 26% below VT |
| Chester and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58Highest 11% below VT |
$1,064±$225 14% below VT |
$960±$44Lowest 22% below VT |
| Barre and Brandon 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 |
$4,241Lowest 16% below VT |
$4,262 15% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3 VT: 48.4% |
41.7%±15.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
11.5%±12.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Brandon 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% |
14.2% VT: 10.1% |
7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
84.3% VT: 73.2% |
86.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1951 25 yrs older than VT |
1972Highest 4 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 21% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
28 minHighest 18% above VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
9.9%±5.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
14%±6.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Chester and Barre 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 | #69 of 70 in VT | #49 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | Otter Valley Union High School | Green Mountain Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Highest |
9.9 |
8.7Lowest |
| 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.