Compare towns
Barre vs Brandon vs Lyndon
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%).
Lyndon has the highest household income ($69k).
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 | Lyndon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412Highest |
4,120Lowest |
5,590 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2% VT: +2.8% |
+4.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-8.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
50.1±3.1Highest 16% above VT |
48.4±6.7 12% above VT |
| Brandon and Lyndon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.5%±3.8 VT: 17.9% |
19.2%±4.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.1%±2.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Brandon 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% |
22.3%±4.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.8%±3.8 VT: 21.4% |
| Brandon and Lyndon 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% VT: 43.8% |
30.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
2.5%±1.7Lowest VT: 7% |
9.8%±2Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $65,625±$7k 19% below VT |
$64,180±$12kLowest 21% below VT |
$68,786±$6kHighest 15% below VT |
| Lyndon and Barre 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±$23kHighest 28% below VT |
$227,000±$21k 28% below VT |
| Brandon and Lyndon 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±$123Highest 11% below VT |
| Lyndon 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 |
$3,846Lowest 24% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
41.7%±15.1 VT: 48.4% |
55.7%±15.2Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Lyndon 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% |
11%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
84.3% VT: 73.2% |
85.6%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1951 25 yrs older than VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 21% below VT |
24 minHighest about the VT average |
23 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
9.9%±5.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±3.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #19 of 70 in VT | #69 of 70 in VT | #44 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 |
| 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 |
— |
| 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.