Compare towns
Barre vs Danby vs Wells
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).
Danby has the most expensive homes ($272k median).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.6%).
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 | Danby | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412Highest |
1,133Lowest |
1,148 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-2.1% VT: +2.8% |
+5.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
52.6±4.8Highest 22% above VT |
50.7±5.2 18% above VT |
| Danby and Wells 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% |
14.6%±3.4 VT: 17.9% |
15.1%±4.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Wells and Danby 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% |
24.3%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
24.5%±2.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Wells and Danby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
34.8% VT: 43.8% |
29.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9Highest VT: 7% |
2.5%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
3%±2.1 VT: 7% |
| Barre and Wells 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 |
$77,321±$13kHighest 5% below VT |
$75,417±$11k 7% below VT |
| Danby and Wells 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 |
$272,400±$41kHighest 14% below VT |
$243,000±$42k 23% below VT |
| Danby and Wells 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 |
$794±$166Lowest 36% below VT |
$1,313±$282Highest 6% above VT |
| Wells and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192Highest 3% above VT |
$4,543 10% below VT |
$3,308Lowest 34% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
41.4%±34.6 VT: 48.4% |
62.5%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Wells and Danby 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% |
9.4%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
15.5% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
89.3% VT: 73.2% |
93.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 21% below VT |
30 min 26% above VT |
48 minHighest 102% above VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
12.1%±5.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
11.3%±6.2 VT: 16.9% |
| Danby and Wells 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 | Taconic and Green Regional School District #63 | Wells Spring Unified Union School District #69 |
| 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.