Compare towns
Barre vs Jay vs Troy vs Brattleboro
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%).
Troy has the highest household income ($88k).
Brattleboro has the most expensive homes ($257k median).
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 | Troy | Brattleboro |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,412 |
471Lowest |
1,749 |
12,122Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+5.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+3.6% VT: +2.8% |
+1.1% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
52.1±10.5Highest 21% above VT |
44.5±5.7 3% above VT |
45.6±4.5 6% above VT |
| Jay and Brattleboro 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% |
14.2%±7.3 VT: 17.9% |
21.4%±3.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
19%±2.8 VT: 17.9% |
| Troy and Brattleboro 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% |
15.5%±6.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
17.7%±3 VT: 21.4% |
25.5%±3.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Brattleboro 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% VT: 43.8% |
45.1% VT: 43.8% |
20.2%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
46.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
1.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 7% |
2.7%±1.4 VT: 7% |
4.1%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
| Brattleboro 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±$7k 19% below VT |
$74,792±$25k 8% below VT |
$87,938±$11kHighest 8% above VT |
$58,241±$8kLowest 28% below VT |
| Troy 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 |
$233,200±$21k 26% below VT |
$257,300±$18kHighest 19% below VT |
| Brattleboro and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58Highest 11% below VT |
— | $646±$323Lowest 48% below VT |
$1,074±$58 13% below VT |
| Barre and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192 3% above VT |
$3,588Lowest 29% below VT |
$3,644 28% below VT |
$5,700Highest 13% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3 VT: 48.4% |
40%±100 VT: 48.4% |
30.8%±26.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±9.6Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Brattleboro and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 17.3% VT: 10.1% |
8.7% VT: 10.1% |
8.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
17.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
97%Highest VT: 73.2% |
86.6% VT: 73.2% |
58.5% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
2001Highest 25 yrs newer than VT |
1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
1955 21 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 21% below VT |
40 minHighest 69% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
19 min 19% below VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±13.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
7.8%±2.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.9%±4 VT: 16.9% |
| Jay and Brattleboro 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 | — | — | #33 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary School District | Troy School District | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | None in town | None in town | Brattleboro Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Highest |
— | — | 9.0Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.