Compare towns
Barre vs Brattleboro vs Exeter
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barre has the most affordable homes ($210k median).
Brattleboro has the shortest commute (15 min average).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
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 | Brattleboro | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412 |
7,657Lowest |
16,151Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Lowest 8% above U.S. |
44.3±5.9 14% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.5%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20%±4.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Brattleboro and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.8%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brattleboro and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Brattleboro 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 U.S. |
$52,734±$12kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $210,400±$15kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$234,600±$20k 29% below U.S. |
$456,600±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$1,113±$67 21% below U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192Lowest 66% above U.S. |
$5,490 76% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.1%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 17.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
21.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
50.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 30% below U.S. |
15 minLowest 42% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.8%±5.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Exeter and Brattleboro 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 | #33 of 70 in VT | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | — | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | — | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
— | 12.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → |
U.S. 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.