Compare towns
Barre vs Hartford vs White River Junction
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 the most homeowners (67.8%).
White River Junction has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.8%).
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 | White River Junction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412 |
10,736Highest |
3,364Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+7.4% VT: +2.8% |
+10.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6 about the VT average |
43.2±3.9Highest about the VT average |
33.7±3.2Lowest 22% below VT |
| Hartford 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% |
18%±3Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.1%±5 VT: 17.9% |
| Hartford and White River Junction are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±3.9 VT: 21.4% |
22.5%±3.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
12.5%±3.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Hartford and Barre 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%Highest VT: 43.8% |
38.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
4.9%±1.7Highest VT: 7% |
1.2%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Hartford 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 |
$78,125±$7kHighest 4% below VT |
$77,168±$4k 5% below VT |
| Hartford and White River Junction 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 |
$304,500±$26kHighest 4% below VT |
$278,800±$78k 12% below VT |
| Hartford and White River Junction are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58Lowest 11% below VT |
$1,218±$118 about the VT average |
$1,222±$216Highest about the VT average |
| White River Junction 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 |
$5,773Highest 15% above VT |
$5,651 12% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±12.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
42.9%±17.3 VT: 48.4% |
| Hartford and White River Junction 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%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
12.1% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4% VT: 73.2% |
67.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
43.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
1963 13 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minHighest 21% below VT |
18 min 22% below VT |
15 minLowest 35% below VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
13.9%±3.5 VT: 16.9% |
15.7%±5.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
| White River Junction and Hartford 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 | #34 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Hartford School District | — |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | Hartford High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Highest |
9.6Lowest |
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| 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.