Compare towns
Barre vs Brattleboro vs Worcester
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 affordable homes ($210k median).
Brattleboro has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.1%).
Worcester has the most homeowners (85.9%).
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 | Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412 |
12,122Highest |
831Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.4% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
45.6±4.5 6% above VT |
47±2.7Highest 9% above VT |
| Worcester and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.5%±3.8 VT: 17.9% |
19%±2.8Highest VT: 17.9% |
12.8%±3.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Brattleboro 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% |
25.5%±3.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.5%±2.5 VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
46.5% VT: 43.8% |
53%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
4.1%±1.6 VT: 7% |
6.9%±4.7Highest VT: 7% |
| Worcester 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 VT |
$58,241±$8kLowest 28% below VT |
$73,833±$18kHighest 9% below VT |
| Worcester 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 |
$257,300±$18k 19% below VT |
$271,100±$27kHighest 14% below VT |
| Worcester and Brattleboro 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 |
$1,074±$58 13% below VT |
$1,023±$136Lowest 17% below VT |
| Barre and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192 3% above VT |
$5,700Highest 13% above VT |
$4,421Lowest 12% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3 VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±9.6Highest VT: 48.4% |
25.5%±37Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Brattleboro and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 17.3% VT: 10.1% |
17.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
58.5% VT: 73.2% |
85.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1955 21 yrs older than VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 21% below VT |
19 min 19% below VT |
29 minHighest 22% above VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.9%±4 VT: 16.9% |
23.6%±4.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Worcester 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 | — |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | Brattleboro Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Highest |
9.0Lowest |
— |
| 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.