Compare towns
Barre vs Epping vs Bennington 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).
Epping has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
Bennington has the shortest commute (17 min average).
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 | Epping | Bennington | St. Johnsbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,412 |
7,430 |
15,249Highest |
7,368Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Lowest 8% above U.S. |
45.1±3.5Highest 16% above U.S. |
44.7±2.3 15% above U.S. |
42.8±3.8 10% above U.S. |
| Epping and Bennington 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% |
18.7%±4.8 U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
21%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| St. Johnsbury and Epping 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% |
22.6%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bennington and Epping 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% |
37%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
30.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±3.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bennington and St. Johnsbury 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. |
$104,220±$7kHighest 29% above U.S. |
$59,446±$7k 26% below U.S. |
$57,738±$9kLowest 28% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $210,400±$15k 37% below U.S. |
$436,900±$35kHighest 31% above U.S. |
$213,300±$15k 36% below U.S. |
$177,700±$17kLowest 47% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58 23% below U.S. |
$1,742±$576Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,133±$63 20% below U.S. |
$914±$44Lowest 35% below U.S. |
| Epping and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192 66% above U.S. |
$6,936Highest 122% above U.S. |
$4,513 45% above U.S. |
$3,916Lowest 26% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.8%±25.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.8%±14.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48%±11 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bennington and Epping 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% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
16.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
59.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1944Lowest 36 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 30% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
20 min 26% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.6%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Epping 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 | #77 of 120 in NH | #58 of 70 in VT | #60 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Epping School District | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | — |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | Epping High School | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7 |
9.3Lowest |
14.7Highest |
— |
| 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.