Compare towns
Barre vs Dover vs Putney vs Bennington
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%).
Putney has the highest household income ($80k).
Bennington has the most kids (17.7% 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 | Putney | Bennington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,412 |
1,466Lowest |
2,622 |
15,249Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+60%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.1% VT: +2.8% |
-2.7% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6 about the VT average |
53.5±8.3Highest 24% above VT |
37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below VT |
44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
| Dover and Bennington 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% |
15.4%±4.1 VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Bennington and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±3.9 VT: 21.4% |
29.5%±6.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8 VT: 21.4% |
| Dover and Bennington 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%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48.6% VT: 43.8% |
36.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
2.5%±2.9Lowest VT: 7% |
20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $65,625±$7k 19% below VT |
$52,313±$7kLowest 36% below VT |
$79,706±$18kHighest about the VT average |
$59,446±$7k 27% below VT |
| Putney and Barre 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 |
$300,000±$44k 5% below VT |
$213,300±$15k 33% below VT |
| Dover and Putney 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 |
$670±$49 46% below VT |
$508±$482Lowest 59% below VT |
$1,133±$63Highest 8% below VT |
| Bennington and Barre 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 |
$4,510Lowest 10% below VT |
$5,313Highest 5% above VT |
$4,513 10% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
38.1%±17.2 VT: 48.4% |
54.2%±19.4 VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Putney 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% |
16% VT: 10.1% |
13.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
81.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
72.8% VT: 73.2% |
58.4% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1961 15 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 21% below VT |
22 minHighest 6% below VT |
18 min 24% below VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
23.2%±11.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.9%±6.5 VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
| Dover and Putney 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 | — | #32 of 70 in VT | #58 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | None in town | None in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
— | — | 14.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.