Compare towns
Barre vs Cornwall vs Shoreham
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).
Cornwall has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.9%).
Shoreham has the oldest population (median age 51.8).
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 | Cornwall | Shoreham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412Highest |
1,208Lowest |
1,269 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.4% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
50.4±4.6 17% above VT |
51.8±7.2Highest 20% above VT |
| Shoreham and Cornwall 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% |
18.7%±3Highest VT: 17.9% |
18%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Cornwall and Shoreham 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% |
25.7%±6.1 VT: 21.4% |
26.1%±3.7Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Shoreham and Cornwall 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% |
54.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
36.2% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
3.7%±3.1Highest VT: 7% |
1.7%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cornwall 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 |
$114,583±$32kHighest 41% above VT |
$93,654±$23k 15% above VT |
| Cornwall and Shoreham 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 |
$458,000±$49kHighest 45% above VT |
$316,400±$34k about the VT average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58Lowest 11% below VT |
$1,125±$206 9% below VT |
$1,306±$335Highest 6% above VT |
| Shoreham and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192 3% above VT |
$6,726Highest 33% above VT |
$4,713Lowest 6% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3 VT: 48.4% |
61.9%±65.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
33.3%±48.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Cornwall 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% |
0.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
94.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 21% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
26 minHighest 11% above VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
24.4%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
15.9%±5.2 VT: 16.9% |
| Cornwall and Shoreham 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 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| 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 History | 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.