Compare towns
Barre vs Dummerston vs Mendon vs Newfane
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).
Dummerston has the most kids (21.7% under 18).
Mendon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
Newfane has the most people working from home (30.8%).
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 | Dummerston | Mendon | Newfane |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,412Highest |
2,090 |
1,113Lowest |
1,456 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+0.1% VT: +2.8% |
+8.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-4.7% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
45.6±11.7 6% above VT |
53.4±10.5 24% above VT |
54.4±3.9Highest 26% above VT |
| Newfane and Mendon 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% |
21.7%±6Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.6%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
11.1%±3.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Dummerston and Mendon 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% |
24.3%±3 VT: 21.4% |
29%±1.3 VT: 21.4% |
29.2%±3.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Newfane and Mendon 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% |
58.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
49.4% VT: 43.8% |
46.5% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9Highest VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.1 VT: 7% |
2.4%±2.1 VT: 7% |
| Barre and Mendon 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 VT |
$101,696±$21kHighest 25% above VT |
$100,524±$23k 24% above VT |
$66,719±$21k 18% below VT |
| Dummerston and Mendon 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 |
$335,300±$22k 6% above VT |
$357,000±$44kHighest 13% above VT |
$284,200±$49k 10% below VT |
| Mendon and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58Lowest 11% below VT |
$1,392±$126Highest 13% above VT |
$1,230±$651 about the VT average |
$1,266±$238 about the VT average |
| Dummerston and Newfane 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 |
$4,536Lowest 10% below VT |
$5,342Highest 6% above VT |
$5,174 about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
44.1%±32.2 VT: 48.4% |
88.6%±42.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
51.9%±79.7 VT: 48.4% |
| Mendon and Newfane 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% |
4.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.2% VT: 10.1% |
10.9% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
92.2% VT: 73.2% |
87.2% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1971 5 yrs older than VT |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
1971 5 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 21% below VT |
21 min 11% below VT |
17 minLowest 28% below VT |
27 minHighest 13% above VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
25.9%±10.3 VT: 16.9% |
22.5%±8.9 VT: 16.9% |
30.8%±12.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Newfane and Dummerston 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 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | — | West River Valley Union Education District #72A |
| 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 Our Story | 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.