Compare towns
Barre vs Kirby 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 affordable homes ($210k median).
Kirby has the most homeowners (93.5%).
Brattleboro has the oldest population (median age 45.6).
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 | Kirby | Brattleboro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412 |
756Lowest |
12,122Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | +1.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6 about the VT average |
38.8±7.1Lowest 10% below VT |
45.6±4.5Highest 6% above VT |
| Brattleboro and Barre 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% |
30%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
19%±2.8 VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±3.9 VT: 21.4% |
19.2%±5.1Lowest 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% |
32.4%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
46.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
4.6%±3.1Highest VT: 7% |
4.1%±1.6 VT: 7% |
| Kirby and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $65,625±$7kHighest 19% below VT |
$54,792±$21kLowest 33% below VT |
$58,241±$8k 28% below VT |
| Barre and Brattleboro 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 |
$302,900±$63kHighest 4% below VT |
$257,300±$18k 19% below VT |
| Kirby and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58 11% below VT |
$1,250±$326Highest about the VT average |
$1,074±$58Lowest 13% below VT |
| Kirby and Barre 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 |
$4,597Lowest 9% below VT |
$5,700Highest 13% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3 VT: 48.4% |
25%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±9.6Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Brattleboro and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 17.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
21.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
17.8% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
93.5%Highest VT: 73.2% |
58.5% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1985Highest 9 yrs newer than VT |
1955 21 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 21% below VT |
34 minHighest 43% above VT |
19 min 19% below VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
20.6%±9.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.9%±4 VT: 16.9% |
| Kirby 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 | — | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | — | 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 |
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.