Compare towns
Barre vs Castleton vs Putney vs St. Johnsbury
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 homeowners (79%).
Putney has the most expensive homes ($300k median).
St. Johnsbury has the most affordable homes ($178k median).
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 | Putney | St. Johnsbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,412Highest |
4,453 |
2,622Lowest |
7,368 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-5.5% VT: +2.8% |
-3.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6 about the VT average |
38.3±4.3 11% below VT |
37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below VT |
42.8±3.8Highest about the VT average |
| St. Johnsbury and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 13.5%±3.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±6.4 VT: 17.9% |
15.4%±4.1 VT: 17.9% |
21%±2.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
| St. Johnsbury and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±3.9 VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
| St. Johnsbury and Castleton 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% VT: 43.8% |
48.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
30.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8 VT: 7% |
20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
5.6%±2.2 VT: 7% |
| Putney and Castleton 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 |
$73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$79,706±$18kHighest about the VT average |
$57,738±$9kLowest 29% below VT |
| Putney and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $210,400±$15k 34% below VT |
$224,800±$71k 29% below VT |
$300,000±$44kHighest 5% below VT |
$177,700±$17kLowest 44% below VT |
| Putney 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±$195Highest 8% below VT |
$508±$482Lowest 59% below VT |
$914±$44 26% below VT |
| Castleton and Barre 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 |
$3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$5,313Highest 5% above VT |
$3,916 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
54.2%±19.4 VT: 48.4% |
48%±11 VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Putney 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%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
16% VT: 10.1% |
16.8% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
79%Highest VT: 73.2% |
72.8% VT: 73.2% |
59.6% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 29 yrs older than VT |
1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
1944Lowest 32 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 21% below VT |
19 min 17% below VT |
18 minLowest 24% below VT |
20 minHighest 17% below VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.9%±6.5 VT: 16.9% |
17.6%±4.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
| St. Johnsbury and Putney 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 | #32 of 70 in VT | #60 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | — |
| 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 | 6 photos → | 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.