Compare towns
Barre vs Colchester vs Williston
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 affordable homes ($210k median).
Colchester has the youngest population (median age 39.3).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
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 | Colchester | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412Lowest |
17,648Highest |
10,144 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+2.7% VT: +2.8% |
+16.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6 about the VT average |
39.3±1.4Lowest 9% below VT |
45.4±4.5Highest 5% above VT |
| Williston 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% |
19.1%±2.5 VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Williston and Colchester 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% |
17.9%±2.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21%±3.5Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Williston 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 VT: 43.8% |
40.8% VT: 43.8% |
54.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
10.9%±1.3Highest VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $65,625±$7kLowest 19% below VT |
$97,891±$9k 21% above VT |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above VT |
| Williston and Colchester 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 |
$394,400±$25k 25% above VT |
$475,800±$40kHighest 50% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58Lowest 11% below VT |
$1,474±$122 19% above VT |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192Lowest 3% above VT |
$5,471 9% above VT |
$5,592Highest 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
46.2%±10.6 VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Williston and Colchester 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% |
7% VT: 10.1% |
4.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
74.1% VT: 73.2% |
75.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1981 5 yrs newer than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 21% below VT |
20 minHighest 15% below VT |
20 min 16% below VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
19%±3.9 VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Williston and Colchester 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 | #18 of 70 in VT | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Colchester School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | Colchester High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
11.8Highest |
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| 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.