Compare towns
Barre vs Fairfield vs Proctor
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).
Fairfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.1%).
Proctor has the oldest housing (typical home built 1938).
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 | Fairfield | Proctor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412Highest |
1,938 |
1,794Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+8.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+1.3% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
42.3±2.7 about the VT average |
42.4±6.4Highest about the VT average |
| Proctor and Fairfield 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% |
25.4%±5Highest VT: 17.9% |
21.8%±4.4 VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfield and Proctor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±3.9 VT: 21.4% |
14.3%±1.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
22.4%±2.5Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Proctor 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 VT: 43.8% |
30.2% VT: 43.8% |
28.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
3.5%±1.6 VT: 7% |
3.6%±1.7Highest VT: 7% |
| Proctor and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $65,625±$7kLowest 19% below VT |
$87,019±$22kHighest 7% above VT |
$74,167±$12k 9% below VT |
| Fairfield and Proctor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $210,400±$15k 34% below VT |
$320,600±$22kHighest about the VT average |
$209,900±$17kLowest 34% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58Highest 11% below VT |
$1,056±$441 14% below VT |
$1,029±$202Lowest 17% below VT |
| Barre and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192Highest 3% above VT |
$4,816 4% below VT |
$4,032Lowest 20% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3 VT: 48.4% |
29.2%±20.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
37.3%±16.2Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Proctor 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 VT: 10.1% |
5.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
16.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.5%Highest VT: 73.2% |
86.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 29 yrs older than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 21% below VT |
24 minHighest about the VT average |
22 min 6% below VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
7.8%±3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
9.4%±4.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Barre and Proctor 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 | — | — |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 | Quarry Valley Unified Union School District #70 |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | None in town | Proctor Junior/Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Highest |
— | 8.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
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.