Compare towns
Barre vs Cavendish vs Tunbridge
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 the oldest population (median age 45.2).
Tunbridge has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.1%).
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 | Tunbridge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412Highest |
1,242Lowest |
1,253 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.8% VT: +2.8% |
+4.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
45.2±5.9Highest 5% above VT |
42.7±8.3 about the VT average |
| Cavendish and Tunbridge 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% |
21.1%±4.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Tunbridge and Cavendish 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% |
23.6%±2Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.9%±1.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Cavendish and Tunbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
39.3% VT: 43.8% |
42.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
4.3%±1.9Highest VT: 7% |
3.6%±2 VT: 7% |
| Cavendish and Tunbridge 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±$29k 10% above VT |
$89,464±$26kHighest 10% above VT |
| Tunbridge and Cavendish 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 |
$315,300±$23kHighest about the VT average |
| Tunbridge and Cavendish 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 |
$1,000±$546Lowest 19% below VT |
$1,346±$128Highest 9% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192Highest 3% above VT |
$3,948Lowest 22% below VT |
$4,645 8% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3 VT: 48.4% |
28.9%±27Lowest VT: 48.4% |
76.7%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Tunbridge 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%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
14.4% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
81.3% VT: 73.2% |
84.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1968 8 yrs older than VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 21% below VT |
19 minLowest 21% below VT |
31 minHighest 31% above VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
18.5%±6.6 VT: 16.9% |
25.8%±8.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Tunbridge 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 | First Branch Unified School District #82 |
| 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 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.

