Compare towns
Barre vs Dover vs Keene
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Keene has the shortest commute (17 min average).
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 | Keene |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412Lowest |
33,364Highest |
22,939 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Highest 8% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
37.6±2.3 3% below U.S. |
| Barre and Keene 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% |
14.1%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Dover and Keene 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% |
19.5%±1.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Keene 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% |
44.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
13.8%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $65,625±$7kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$94,829±$7kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$78,445±$8k about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $210,400±$15kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$436,700±$20kHighest 31% above U.S. |
$252,500±$12k 24% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$1,607±$100Highest 14% above U.S. |
$1,342±$68 5% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192Lowest 66% above U.S. |
$8,249Highest 164% above U.S. |
$6,812 118% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.5%±6.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dover and Keene 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%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
55.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 30% below U.S. |
23 minHighest 14% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dover and Keene 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 | #81 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Dover School District | Keene School District |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | Dover Senior High School | Keene High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
12.7Highest |
12.3 |
| 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.