Compare towns
Barre vs Exeter vs Middlesex 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).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
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 | Exeter | Middlesex | St. Johnsbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,412 |
16,151Highest |
1,943Lowest |
7,368 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Lowest 8% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
44.4±3.9 14% above U.S. |
42.8±3.8 10% above U.S. |
| Exeter 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% |
17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±3.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
21%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Middlesex and St. Johnsbury 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% |
24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter and St. Johnsbury 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% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
30.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter 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. |
$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$109,632±$13k 36% above U.S. |
$57,738±$9kLowest 28% below U.S. |
| Exeter and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $210,400±$15k 37% below U.S. |
$456,600±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$376,300±$40k 13% above U.S. |
$177,700±$17kLowest 47% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58 23% below U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,333±$359 6% below U.S. |
$914±$44Lowest 35% below U.S. |
| Exeter and Middlesex 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. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$6,483 108% above U.S. |
$3,916Lowest 26% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48%±11 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter 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% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr 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. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
27 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
20 min 26% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.6%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlesex and Exeter 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 | #22 of 120 in NH | — | #60 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | — |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | Exeter High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
12.1Highest |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.