Compare towns
Barre vs Halifax vs Newark
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 shortest commute (19 min average).
Halifax has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.9%).
Newark has the highest household income ($73k).
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 | Halifax | Newark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412Highest |
847 |
727Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+5.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+0.5% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Highest about the VT average |
40.6±13.1Lowest 6% below VT |
41.4±6 4% below VT |
| Barre and Newark 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%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
22%±3 VT: 17.9% |
| Halifax and Newark 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% |
22.6%±7.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.9%±5.1 VT: 21.4% |
| Halifax and Newark 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% |
44.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
41% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9Highest VT: 7% |
1.2%±0.9 VT: 7% |
0.6%±0.6Lowest VT: 7% |
| Barre and Halifax 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 |
$63,889±$7kLowest 21% below VT |
$72,929±$7kHighest 10% below VT |
| Newark 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 |
$267,500±$21kHighest 16% below VT |
$229,900±$23k 27% below VT |
| Halifax and Newark 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 |
$875±$154Lowest 29% below VT |
$1,708±$97Highest 38% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192Highest 3% above VT |
$4,991 about the VT average |
$3,771Lowest 25% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3 VT: 48.4% |
57.1%±73.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
7.1%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Halifax and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 17.3% VT: 10.1% |
6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
22.4%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
86.6% VT: 73.2% |
90.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1968 8 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 21% below VT |
33 min 38% above VT |
34 minHighest 44% above VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
29.9%±11.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
13.8%±8.2 VT: 16.9% |
| Halifax and Newark 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 | Halifax School District | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 |
| 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.