Compare towns
Barre vs Cavendish vs Panton
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).
Cavendish has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.8%).
Panton has the most expensive homes ($438k 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 | Cavendish | Panton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412Highest |
1,242 |
690Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-4.6% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
45.2±5.9Highest 5% above VT |
42.7±3.8 about the VT average |
| Cavendish and Panton 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%±4.8 VT: 17.9% |
24.9%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Panton and Cavendish 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% |
23.6%±2Highest VT: 21.4% |
16.7%±2.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Cavendish and Barre 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% |
39.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
35.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
4.3%±1.9Highest VT: 7% |
2.3%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cavendish 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±$7kLowest 19% below VT |
$89,063±$29kHighest 10% above VT |
$86,667±$10k 7% above VT |
| Cavendish and Panton 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 |
$285,100±$40k 10% below VT |
$438,000±$40kHighest 38% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58 11% below VT |
$1,000±$546Lowest 19% below VT |
$1,410±$130Highest 14% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192 3% above VT |
$3,948Lowest 22% below VT |
$6,695Highest 33% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3 VT: 48.4% |
28.9%±27Lowest VT: 48.4% |
61%±39Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Panton and Barre 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% |
6.3% VT: 10.1% |
3.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
81.3% VT: 73.2% |
83.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1968 8 yrs older than VT |
1974Highest 2 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 21% below VT |
19 minLowest 21% below VT |
26 minHighest 11% above VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
18.5%±6.6 VT: 16.9% |
26.7%±8.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Panton and Cavendish 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 | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | — |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 18 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.