Compare towns
Barre vs Dover vs Montgomery
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).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+60%).
Montgomery has the most kids (15.5% under 18).
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 | Montgomery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412Highest |
1,466 |
1,047Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+60%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-1.4% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
53.5±8.3Highest 24% above VT |
51.5±11.3 19% above VT |
| Dover and Montgomery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.5%±3.8 VT: 17.9% |
10.2%±5.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
15.5%±4.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Montgomery and Barre 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% |
29.5%±6.2 VT: 21.4% |
33.9%±8.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Montgomery and Dover 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% |
48.9% VT: 43.8% |
52.8%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9Highest VT: 7% |
2.5%±2.9Lowest VT: 7% |
2.8%±3.2 VT: 7% |
| Barre and Montgomery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $65,625±$7kHighest 19% below VT |
$52,313±$7kLowest 36% below VT |
$53,289±$24k 34% below VT |
| Barre and Montgomery 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 |
$332,900±$55kHighest 5% above VT |
$323,200±$45k about the VT average |
| Dover and Montgomery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58Highest 11% below VT |
$670±$49Lowest 46% below VT |
$868±$209 30% below VT |
| Barre and Montgomery 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 |
$4,510 10% below VT |
$4,326Lowest 14% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
38.1%±17.2 VT: 48.4% |
76.6%±68Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Montgomery 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 VT: 10.1% |
7.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
15.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
81.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 21% below VT |
22 min 6% below VT |
37 minHighest 58% above VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
23.2%±11.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
16%±5.9 VT: 16.9% |
| Dover and Montgomery 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 | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 |
| 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.