Compare towns
Barre vs Jackson vs Bennington vs Berlin
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).
Jackson has grown the fastest since 2010 (+26%).
Bennington has the shortest commute (17 min average).
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 | Jackson | Bennington | Berlin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,412 |
897Lowest |
15,249Highest |
2,880 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+26%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Lowest 8% above U.S. |
60.5±2.5Highest 56% above U.S. |
44.7±2.3 15% above U.S. |
50.6±2.4 30% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 13.5%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
4.1%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±2.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.6%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Bennington and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
28.4%±6.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.8%±4.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Jackson and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
67.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bennington and Berlin 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 U.S. |
$117,986±$46kHighest 46% above U.S. |
$59,446±$7kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$86,691±$21k 7% above U.S. |
| Jackson and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $210,400±$15kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$719,300±$109kHighest 116% above U.S. |
$213,300±$15k 36% below U.S. |
$273,600±$31k 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$1,750±$1kHighest 24% above U.S. |
$1,133±$63 20% below U.S. |
$1,169±$171 17% below U.S. |
| Jackson and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192 66% above U.S. |
$6,001Highest 92% above U.S. |
$4,513 45% above U.S. |
$4,418Lowest 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
21.1%±59.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.8%±14.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41%±19.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bennington and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 17.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 30% below U.S. |
19 min 30% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
21 minHighest 20% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.2%±10.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.7%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Jackson and Bennington 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 | — | #58 of 70 in VT | #16 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Jackson School District | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | None in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
— | 14.7Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.