Compare towns
Barre vs Dummerston vs Exeter vs Bennington
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 renters (49.6% rent).
Dummerston has the most homeowners (92.9%).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Bennington 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 | Dummerston | Exeter | Bennington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,412 |
2,090Lowest |
16,151Highest |
15,249 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Lowest 8% above U.S. |
45.6±11.7 17% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
44.7±2.3 15% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Dummerston 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% |
21.7%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Dummerston and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bennington and Exeter 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% |
58.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $65,625±$7k 19% below U.S. |
$101,696±$21k 26% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$59,446±$7kLowest 26% below U.S. |
| Exeter and Dummerston 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. |
$335,300±$22k about the U.S. average |
$456,600±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$213,300±$15k 36% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$1,392±$126 about the U.S. average |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,133±$63 20% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192 66% above U.S. |
$4,536 45% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$4,513Lowest 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±32.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.8%±14.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bennington and Exeter 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% |
4.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 30% below U.S. |
21 min 21% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 6% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.9%±10.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dummerston and Exeter 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 | — | #22 of 120 in NH | #58 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | None in town | Exeter High School | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
— | 12.1 |
14.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.