Compare towns
Barre vs Durham vs St. Johnsbury
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).
Durham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
St. Johnsbury has the most affordable homes ($178k median).
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 | Durham | St. Johnsbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412Highest |
4,262Lowest |
7,368 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Lowest 8% above U.S. |
42.6±5.9 10% above U.S. |
42.8±3.8Highest 10% above U.S. |
| St. Johnsbury and Durham 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% |
19.7%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
21%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| St. Johnsbury and Durham 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% |
16.6%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| St. Johnsbury and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
30.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| St. Johnsbury and Durham 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. |
$99,181±$5kHighest 23% above U.S. |
$57,738±$9kLowest 28% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $210,400±$15k 37% below U.S. |
$322,200±$34kHighest 3% below U.S. |
$177,700±$17kLowest 47% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58Highest 23% below U.S. |
— | $914±$44Lowest 35% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192Highest 66% above U.S. |
$3,781Lowest 21% above U.S. |
$3,916 26% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
25%±40.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48%±11Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| St. Johnsbury and Barre 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% |
4.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1944Lowest 36 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 6% above U.S. |
20 min 26% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.9%±5.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.6%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Durham and St. Johnsbury 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 | #14 of 133 in ME | #60 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | RSU 05 | — |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.