Compare towns
Barre vs Hartford vs Middlesex
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 affordable homes ($210k median).
Hartford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.4%).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
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 | Hartford | Middlesex |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412 |
10,736Highest |
1,943Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+7.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+2.8% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
43.2±3.9 about the VT average |
44.4±3.9Highest 3% above VT |
| Middlesex and Hartford 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% |
18%±3 VT: 17.9% |
21.3%±3.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Middlesex and Hartford 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% |
22.5%±3.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.6%±3.7 VT: 21.4% |
| Hartford and Middlesex 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% |
47.6% VT: 43.8% |
54.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
4.9%±1.7 VT: 7% |
5.2%±2.6Highest VT: 7% |
| Middlesex and Hartford 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 |
$78,125±$7k 4% below VT |
$109,632±$13kHighest 35% above VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $210,400±$15kLowest 34% below VT |
$304,500±$26k 4% below VT |
$376,300±$40kHighest 19% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58Lowest 11% below VT |
$1,218±$118 about the VT average |
$1,333±$359Highest 8% above VT |
| Middlesex and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192Lowest 3% above VT |
$5,773 15% above VT |
$6,483Highest 29% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3 VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±12.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Hartford 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% |
11.1% VT: 10.1% |
3.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
67.8% VT: 73.2% |
96.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 21% below VT |
18 minLowest 22% below VT |
27 minHighest 17% above VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
13.9%±3.5 VT: 16.9% |
28.4%±10.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #19 of 70 in VT | #34 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Hartford School District | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | Hartford High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Highest |
9.6Lowest |
— |
| 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.