Compare towns
Barre vs Brandon vs South Barre
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%).
South Barre has the most people working from home (16.5%).
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 | South Barre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412Highest |
4,120 |
1,346Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+4.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-2.1% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
50.1±3.1 16% above VT |
52.7±2.6Highest 22% above VT |
| South Barre and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.5%±3.8 VT: 17.9% |
19.2%±4.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
9.9%±5.9Lowest 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%±3.9 VT: 21.4% |
22.3%±4.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
11.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Brandon and Barre 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% |
34.7% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9Highest VT: 7% |
2.5%±1.7 VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.5Lowest 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 |
$78,050±$16kHighest 4% below VT |
| South Barre 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±$23k 28% below VT |
$257,600±$25kHighest 19% below VT |
| South Barre and Brandon 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 |
$1,609±$371Highest 30% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192Highest 3% above VT |
$4,241Lowest 16% below VT |
$4,750 6% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
41.7%±15.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
36.1%±40.7 VT: 48.4% |
| Brandon and South 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% |
7.4%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
84.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
82.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1951 25 yrs older than VT |
1969Highest 7 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 21% below VT |
24 minHighest about the VT average |
15 minLowest 36% below VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
9.9%±5.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.5%±10.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
| South Barre 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 | — |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 | — |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | Otter Valley Union High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Highest |
9.9Lowest |
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| 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.