Compare towns
Barre vs Guilford vs Halifax
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).
Guilford has the most expensive homes ($313k median).
Halifax has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.9%).
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 | Guilford | Halifax |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412Highest |
2,461 |
847Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
0% VT: +2.8% |
+5.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6 about the VT average |
46.7±5.2Highest 8% above VT |
40.6±13.1Lowest 6% below VT |
| Guilford 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% |
17.5%±4.9 VT: 17.9% |
25.4%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Halifax and Guilford 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% |
27.6%±4Highest VT: 21.4% |
22.6%±7.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Guilford and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
44.8% VT: 43.8% |
44.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9Highest VT: 7% |
2.6%±2.4 VT: 7% |
1.2%±0.9Lowest VT: 7% |
| Barre and Guilford 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 VT |
$75,243±$6kHighest 7% below VT |
$63,889±$7kLowest 21% below VT |
| Guilford and Barre 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 |
$312,600±$39kHighest about the VT average |
$267,500±$21k 16% below VT |
| Guilford and Halifax 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 |
$1,283±$273Highest 4% above VT |
$875±$154Lowest 29% below VT |
| Guilford and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192 3% above VT |
$5,827Highest 16% above VT |
$4,991Lowest about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±19.4 VT: 48.4% |
57.1%±73.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Halifax and Guilford 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% |
10.6% VT: 10.1% |
6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
80.1% VT: 73.2% |
86.6%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1968 8 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 21% below VT |
25 min 7% above VT |
33 minHighest 38% above VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.7%±5.3 VT: 16.9% |
29.9%±11.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Halifax and Guilford 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 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Halifax School District |
| 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 Our Story | 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.