Compare towns
Barre vs Brighton vs Windsor
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 highest household income ($66k).
Brighton has the most affordable homes ($164k median).
Windsor has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.2%).
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 | Brighton | Windsor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412Highest |
1,167Lowest |
3,554 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-5.3% VT: +2.8% |
+0.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
45.2±11.6Highest 5% above VT |
44.8±6.5 4% above VT |
| Brighton and Windsor 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% |
18.3%±5.7 VT: 17.9% |
19.5%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Windsor and Brighton 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% |
27.2%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
29.7%±6.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Windsor and Brighton 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% |
25.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
39.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
4.6%±2.4Highest VT: 7% |
0.7%±0.8Lowest VT: 7% |
| Brighton and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $65,625±$7kHighest 19% below VT |
$47,375±$21kLowest 42% below VT |
$52,484±$11k 35% below VT |
| Barre and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $210,400±$15kHighest 34% below VT |
$163,900±$39kLowest 48% below VT |
$207,500±$31k 34% below VT |
| Barre and Windsor 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 |
$775±$33Lowest 37% below VT |
$1,026±$89 17% below VT |
| Barre and Windsor 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 |
$3,360Lowest 33% below VT |
$5,209Highest 3% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3 VT: 48.4% |
55%±17Highest VT: 48.4% |
31.5%±17Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Brighton 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% |
22%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
51.1% VT: 73.2% |
57.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 29 yrs older than VT |
1967Highest 9 yrs older than VT |
1945Lowest 31 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 21% below VT |
33 minHighest 41% above VT |
23 min 3% below VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
12.4%±8.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.3%±5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Brighton 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 | — | #61 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Brighton School District | — |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7 |
— | — |
| 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.