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 (+5.8%).
St. Johnsbury has the most kids (21% under 18).
Durham is a college town. 55.1% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | 8,412 |
15,080Highest |
7,368Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6 8% above U.S. |
20.8±0.3Lowest 47% below U.S. |
42.8±3.8Highest 10% above U.S. |
| St. Johnsbury and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.5%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±3.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
55.1%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $65,625±$7k 19% below U.S. |
$124,056±$21kHighest 54% above U.S. |
$57,738±$9kLowest 28% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $210,400±$15k 37% below U.S. |
$504,300±$41kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$177,700±$17kLowest 47% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58 23% below U.S. |
$1,429±$143Highest about the U.S. average |
$914±$44Lowest 35% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192 66% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$3,916Lowest 26% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±16Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48%±11 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Durham and St. Johnsbury 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% |
15.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
64.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1944Lowest 36 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
19 min 27% below U.S. |
20 minHighest 26% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.4%±3.5Highest 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 | #9 of 120 in NH | #60 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Oyster River Coop School District | — |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | Oyster River High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
12.3Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 51 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.