Compare towns
Barre vs Hinesburg vs Williston
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).
Hinesburg has the most homeowners (83.6%).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
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 | Hinesburg | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412 |
4,718Lowest |
10,144Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+6.9% VT: +2.8% |
+16.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
50.1±5.2Highest 16% above VT |
45.4±4.5 5% above VT |
| Hinesburg and Williston 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%±5.3 VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Williston and Hinesburg 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% |
25.8%±7.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
21%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
| Hinesburg and Williston 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% |
64.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
54.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
1.3%±1Lowest VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7Highest VT: 7% |
| Williston 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 |
$112,539±$18kHighest 39% above VT |
$106,967±$12k 32% above VT |
| Hinesburg and Williston 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 |
$463,400±$51k 46% above VT |
$475,800±$40kHighest 50% above VT |
| Williston and Hinesburg 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 |
$1,651±$155 34% above VT |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
| Williston and Hinesburg 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 |
$7,667Highest 52% above VT |
$5,592 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
52.2%±29.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4 VT: 48.4% |
| Hinesburg and Williston 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% |
8.5% VT: 10.1% |
4.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
83.6%Highest VT: 73.2% |
75.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1983 7 yrs newer than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 21% below VT |
20 min 17% below VT |
20 minHighest 16% below VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
19.6%±6.8 VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Williston and Hinesburg 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 | #4 of 70 in VT | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | Champlain Valley Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
14.5Highest |
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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.