Compare towns
Barre vs Colrain vs Leyden
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 shortest commute (19 min average).
Colrain has the most kids (15.3% under 18).
Leyden has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.2%).
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 | Colrain | Leyden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412Highest |
1,627 |
637Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Lowest 8% above U.S. |
49.6±8.7 28% above U.S. |
53.2±8.2Highest 37% above U.S. |
| Leyden and Colrain 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% |
15.3%±4.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.8%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Colrain and Leyden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.4%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
28.6%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Colrain and Leyden 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% |
37.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
40%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.5%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Barre and Colrain 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. |
$80,673±$10k about the U.S. average |
$105,893±$13kHighest 31% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $210,400±$15kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$284,300±$14k 15% below U.S. |
$372,900±$24kHighest 12% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$1,102±$77 22% below U.S. |
$1,917±$451Highest 36% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192Highest 66% above U.S. |
$4,317Lowest 38% above U.S. |
$4,651 49% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46%±22.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.9%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Colrain and Leyden 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% |
7.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
33 min 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.4%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11%±5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Leyden and Barre 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 | Mohawk Trail | — |
| 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 | 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.