Compare towns
Barre vs Ferrisburgh vs Waltham
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).
Ferrisburgh has the most expensive homes ($423k median).
Waltham has the most people working from home (20.6%).
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 | Ferrisburgh | Waltham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412Highest |
2,661 |
452Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-4.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
45.5±4.9 6% above VT |
60.8±7.3Highest 41% above VT |
| Kids under 18 | 13.5%±3.8 VT: 17.9% |
17.2%±4.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
12.8%±7.4Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Ferrisburgh and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
23.3%±3.8 VT: 21.4% |
45.4%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
51.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
39% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9Highest VT: 7% |
3%±2.8Lowest VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.1 VT: 7% |
| Barre and Waltham 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 |
$106,989±$22kHighest 32% above VT |
$97,500±$14k 20% above VT |
| Ferrisburgh and Waltham 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 |
$422,700±$35kHighest 34% above VT |
$329,700±$51k 4% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58Lowest 11% below VT |
$1,435±$173Highest 16% above VT |
$1,096±$113 11% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192Lowest 3% above VT |
$6,120Highest 21% above VT |
$5,714 13% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3 VT: 48.4% |
57%±19.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
29.2%±58.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Ferrisburgh 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% |
2.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
5.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
85.3% VT: 73.2% |
86.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1968 8 yrs older than VT |
1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 21% below VT |
28 minHighest 21% above VT |
28 min 18% above VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
14.6%±4.2 VT: 16.9% |
20.6%±5.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Waltham and Ferrisburgh 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 | #7 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Addison Northwest Unified Union School District #54 | — |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | 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.