Compare towns
Barre vs Fairfield vs Sheldon
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%).
Sheldon has the most people working from home (13%).
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 | Sheldon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412Highest |
1,938Lowest |
2,267 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+8.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-2.5% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6 about the VT average |
42.3±2.7Highest about the VT average |
40.9±3.5Lowest 5% below VT |
| Fairfield and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.5%±3.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
25.4%±5Highest VT: 17.9% |
23.7%±3.6 VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfield and Sheldon 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% |
14.3%±1.8 VT: 21.4% |
12.6%±2.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Barre and Fairfield 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% |
14.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
3.5%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
2%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
| Fairfield 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±$7kLowest 19% below VT |
$87,019±$22kHighest 7% above VT |
$78,533±$25k 3% below VT |
| Fairfield and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $210,400±$15kLowest 34% below VT |
$320,600±$22kHighest about the VT average |
$272,400±$61k 14% below VT |
| Fairfield and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58 11% below VT |
$1,056±$441Lowest 14% below VT |
$1,286±$379Highest 4% above VT |
| Sheldon and Barre 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 |
$3,578Lowest 29% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
29.2%±20.4 VT: 48.4% |
0%±27Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Barre and Fairfield 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% |
5.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.5% VT: 73.2% |
89%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 21% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
25 minHighest 7% above VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
7.8%±3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
13%±3.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Sheldon and Barre 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 | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7 |
— | — |
| 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.