Compare towns
Barre vs Dummerston vs Middlesex vs Newfields
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 oldest population (median age 45.6).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
Newfields has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.3%).
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 | Middlesex | Newfields |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,412Highest |
2,090 |
1,943Lowest |
2,023 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Lowest 8% above U.S. |
45.6±11.7Highest 17% above U.S. |
44.4±3.9 14% above U.S. |
44.1±1.8 13% above U.S. |
| Dummerston and Middlesex 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% |
21.3%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
18.9%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Dummerston and Middlesex 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% |
24.3%±3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
13.6%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dummerston and Middlesex 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% |
54.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
68.1%Highest 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% |
5.2%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.5%±7.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Newfields and Middlesex 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 U.S. |
$101,696±$21k 26% above U.S. |
$109,632±$13k 36% above U.S. |
$197,885±$15kHighest 145% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $210,400±$15kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$335,300±$22k about the U.S. average |
$376,300±$40k 13% above U.S. |
$646,400±$34kHighest 94% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$1,392±$126 about the U.S. average |
$1,333±$359 6% below U.S. |
$1,875±$323Highest 33% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192 66% above U.S. |
$4,536Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$6,483 108% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±32.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.3%±40.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dummerston and Newfields 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1986 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1991Highest 11 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
21 min 21% below U.S. |
27 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.9%±10.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.5%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlesex 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 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Newfields School District |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | None in town | 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 | 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.