Compare towns
Barre vs Hartford vs Wilder
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 kids (18% under 18).
Wilder has grown the fastest since 2010 (+81.7%).
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 | Wilder |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412 |
10,736Highest |
3,087Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+7.4% VT: +2.8% |
+81.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
43.2±3.9 about the VT average |
45.5±8.9Highest 6% above VT |
| Wilder and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.5%±3.8 VT: 17.9% |
18%±3Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±4.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Hartford 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% |
22.5%±3.3 VT: 21.4% |
27.3%±4.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Wilder and Hartford 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% |
60.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
4.9%±1.7 VT: 7% |
8.1%±3.9Highest VT: 7% |
| Wilder 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±$7kHighest 4% below VT |
$75,143±$9k 7% below VT |
| Hartford and Wilder 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 |
$273,200±$18k 14% below VT |
| Hartford and Wilder 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±$118Highest about the VT average |
$1,142±$451 7% below VT |
| Hartford and Wilder 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 |
$5,505 9% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±12.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
39.9%±17.2 VT: 48.4% |
| Hartford and Wilder 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% |
9.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
67.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
62.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minHighest 21% below VT |
18 min 22% below VT |
17 minLowest 29% below VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
13.9%±3.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
12.6%±6.7 VT: 16.9% |
| Hartford and Wilder 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 History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.