Compare towns
Barre vs Castleton vs Braintree vs Berlin
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).
Castleton has the most kids (18.8% under 18).
Braintree has the most people working from home (19%).
Berlin has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.3%).
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 | Castleton | Braintree | Berlin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,412Highest |
4,453 |
1,026Lowest |
2,880 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-5.5% VT: +2.8% |
-3.1% VT: +2.8% |
-1.3%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6 about the VT average |
38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
58.4±2.4Highest 35% above VT |
50.6±2.4 17% above VT |
| Kids under 18 | 13.5%±3.8 VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±6.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
12.3%±3.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
16.6%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Castleton and Berlin 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% |
20.7%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
33.2%±3.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
26.8%±4.4 VT: 21.4% |
| Braintree and Berlin 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% |
37.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
30.9% VT: 43.8% |
28.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
1.8%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
3.9%±2.9 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $65,625±$7kLowest 19% below VT |
$73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$79,803±$5k about the VT average |
$86,691±$21kHighest 7% above VT |
| Berlin and Braintree 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 |
$224,800±$71k 29% below VT |
$217,700±$28k 31% below VT |
$273,600±$31kHighest 14% below VT |
| Berlin and Castleton 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 |
$1,137±$195 8% below VT |
$840±$405Lowest 32% below VT |
$1,169±$171Highest 5% below VT |
| Berlin and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192Highest 3% above VT |
$3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$3,908 22% below VT |
$4,418 12% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
43.4%±29.4 VT: 48.4% |
41%±19.9 VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Braintree 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% |
12.5% VT: 10.1% |
11.1% VT: 10.1% |
10.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
79% VT: 73.2% |
81% VT: 73.2% |
87.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 21% below VT |
19 min 17% below VT |
26 minHighest 11% above VT |
21 min 10% below VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
19%±7.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
11.7%±3.8 VT: 16.9% |
| Braintree and Berlin 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 | #39 of 70 in VT | — | #16 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.