Compare towns
Barre vs Chesterfield vs Thornton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barre has the most affordable homes ($210k median).
Chesterfield has the most kids (21.5% under 18).
Thornton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.8%).
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 | Chesterfield | Thornton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412Highest |
3,622 |
2,799Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Lowest 8% above U.S. |
46.8±8.7 20% above U.S. |
51.1±3.4Highest 31% above U.S. |
| Thornton and Chesterfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.5%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.5%±5.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.9%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Chesterfield and Thornton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±3.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
28.8%±7.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Chesterfield 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Thornton 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 U.S. |
$102,370±$40kHighest 27% above U.S. |
$90,022±$17k 12% above U.S. |
| Chesterfield and Thornton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $210,400±$15kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$373,500±$33kHighest 12% above U.S. |
$351,900±$20k 6% above U.S. |
| Chesterfield and Thornton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$1,324±$1kHighest 6% below U.S. |
$1,270±$428 10% below U.S. |
| Chesterfield and Thornton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192 66% above U.S. |
$6,344Highest 103% above U.S. |
$5,032Lowest 61% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
83.7%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.7%±24.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Chesterfield and Thornton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 17.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 6% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.9%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
29.8%±9.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Thornton and Chesterfield 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 | #52 of 120 in NH | #18 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Chesterfield School District | Thornton 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 Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.