Compare towns
Barre vs Jay vs South Barre
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 renters (49.6% rent).
Jay has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.8%).
South Barre has the shortest commute (15 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 | Jay | South Barre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412Highest |
471Lowest |
1,346 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+5.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-2.1% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
52.1±10.5 21% above VT |
52.7±2.6Highest 22% above VT |
| South Barre and Jay 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% |
14.2%±7.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
9.9%±5.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Jay and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±3.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
15.5%±6.3 VT: 21.4% |
11.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Barre and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.1% VT: 43.8% |
45.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
34.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9Highest VT: 7% |
1.9%±2.5 VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.5Lowest VT: 7% |
| Barre and Jay 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 |
$74,792±$25k 8% below VT |
$78,050±$16kHighest 4% below VT |
| South Barre and Jay 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 |
$234,200±$45k 26% below VT |
$257,600±$25kHighest 19% below VT |
| South Barre and Jay 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 |
— | $1,609±$371Highest 30% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192Highest 3% above VT |
$3,588Lowest 29% below VT |
$4,750 6% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
40%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
36.1%±40.7 VT: 48.4% |
| Jay and South 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% |
8.7% VT: 10.1% |
7.4%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
97%Highest VT: 73.2% |
82.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
2001Highest 25 yrs newer than VT |
1969 7 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 21% below VT |
40 minHighest 69% above VT |
15 minLowest 36% below VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±13.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.5%±10.5 VT: 16.9% |
| Jay and South Barre 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 | — | — |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary School District | — |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.