Compare towns
Barre vs Calais vs Fairlee
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).
Calais has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.4%).
Fairlee has the oldest population (median age 56.2).
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 | Calais | Fairlee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412Highest |
1,713 |
1,066Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+3.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+1.1% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6 about the VT average |
42±8.6Lowest about the VT average |
56.2±8.7Highest 30% above VT |
| Fairlee and Barre 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% |
22.5%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
12.2%±4.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Calais 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% |
21.6%±5.2 VT: 21.4% |
33.4%±5.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
46.5% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
7.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
5.3%±3.7 VT: 7% |
| Calais and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $65,625±$7kLowest 19% below VT |
$100,625±$27kHighest 24% above VT |
$74,760±$10k 8% below VT |
| Calais and Fairlee 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 |
$390,300±$36kHighest 23% above VT |
$274,200±$39k 13% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58 11% below VT |
$1,408±$392Highest 14% above VT |
$1,083±$242Lowest 12% below VT |
| Calais and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192Lowest 3% above VT |
$6,586Highest 31% above VT |
$5,617 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
49%±38.3 VT: 48.4% |
89.2%±71.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Fairlee and Calais 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% |
8.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
14.7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
1972 4 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 21% below VT |
31 minHighest 32% above VT |
24 min 3% above VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
23.4%±7.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
15%±7.9 VT: 16.9% |
| Calais and Fairlee 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 | — | — |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Rivendell Interstate School District |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7 |
— | — |
| 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.