Compare towns
Barre vs Brandon vs Derby
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%).
Derby has the highest household income ($80k).
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 | Derby |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412Highest |
4,120Lowest |
4,537 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+4.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.9% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
50.1±3.1 16% above VT |
51.6±2.1Highest 20% above VT |
| Derby and Brandon 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% |
15.7%±3.6 VT: 17.9% |
| Brandon and Derby 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% |
27.2%±4.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Derby 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% VT: 43.8% |
32.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
36.8%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9Highest VT: 7% |
2.5%±1.7 VT: 7% |
2.3%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Barre and Brandon 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 VT |
$64,180±$12kLowest 21% below VT |
$80,250±$8kHighest about the VT average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $210,400±$15kLowest 34% below VT |
$227,800±$23kHighest 28% below VT |
$225,000±$10k 29% below VT |
| Brandon and Derby 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 |
$1,064±$225Lowest 14% below VT |
$1,096±$118Highest 11% below VT |
| Derby 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 |
$4,241 16% below VT |
$3,449Lowest 32% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
41.7%±15.1 VT: 48.4% |
45.8%±18.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Derby and Brandon 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% |
7.4%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
84.3% VT: 73.2% |
84.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1951 25 yrs older than VT |
1978Highest 2 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 21% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
32 minHighest 38% above VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
9.9%±5.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
10.6%±3.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Derby 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 | #52 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 | Derby School District · North Country Union Junior High School District |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | Otter Valley Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Highest |
9.9Lowest |
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| 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.