What stands out worked out from the figures below

Barre has the most people working from home (10.5%).

Fair Haven has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.1%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Barre	Fair Haven
People
Population	8,412Highest	2,724Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8%	+0.1%Highest VT: +2.8%
Median age	42.2±6.6Highest about the VT average	39.2±7.6Lowest 9% below VT
	Barre and Fair Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	13.5%±3.8Lowest VT: 17.9%	19.4%±5.1Highest VT: 17.9%
	Fair Haven and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.4%±3.9Highest VT: 21.4%	18.4%±4.5Lowest VT: 21.4%
	Barre and Fair Haven 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 VT: 43.8%	23.7%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.4%±1.9Lowest VT: 7%	4.1%±2.9Highest VT: 7%
	Fair Haven and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$65,625±$7kHighest 19% below VT	$62,404±$16kLowest 23% below VT
	Barre and Fair Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$210,400±$15kHighest 34% below VT	$176,500±$14kLowest 44% below VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,093±$58Highest 11% below VT	$830±$116Lowest 33% below VT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,192Highest 3% above VT	$3,865Lowest 23% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4%	50.9%±20.9Highest VT: 48.4%
	Fair Haven and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	17.3%Lowest VT: 10.1%	18.9%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2%	80.6%Highest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1947Highest 29 yrs older than VT	1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	19 minLowest 21% below VT	31 minHighest 31% above VT
Work from home	10.5%±4.1Highest VT: 16.9%	4.3%±2.5Lowest VT: 16.9%
	Barre and Fair Haven 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	#66 of 70 in VT
School district	Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center	Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62
High school in town	Spaulding Union High School	Fair Haven Union Middle and High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.7Lowest	12.8Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	12 photos →

VT 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.