Compare towns
Barre vs Dover vs Eliot
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).
Dover has the youngest population (median age 36.9).
Eliot has the most homeowners (79.8%).
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 | Dover | Eliot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412 |
33,364Highest |
7,146Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6 8% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
| Eliot 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 U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Dover and Eliot 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% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Eliot 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% |
52%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover 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. |
$94,829±$7k 17% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10kHighest 26% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Dover 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. |
$436,700±$20k 31% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62kHighest 50% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Dover 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. |
$1,607±$100 14% above U.S. |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Dover 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. |
$8,249Highest 164% above U.S. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Eliot and Dover 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% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
23 minHighest 14% below U.S. |
23 min 15% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dover and Eliot 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 | #64 of 120 in NH | #19 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Dover School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | Dover Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
12.7Highest |
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| 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.