What stands out worked out from the figures below

Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).

Lenox has the most homeowners (77.2%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Barre	Lenox
People
Population	8,412Lowest	8,658Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	-3.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	42.2±6.6Lowest 8% above U.S.	45.1±2Highest 16% above U.S.
	Lenox 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 U.S.: 22%	19.7%±2.6Highest U.S.: 22%
	Lenox and Barre 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%	21.9%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Lenox 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	21.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.4%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	3.5%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Lenox 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 U.S.	$75,900±$8kHighest 6% below U.S.
	Lenox and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$210,400±$15kHighest 37% below U.S.	$161,600±$9kLowest 51% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,093±$58Highest 23% below U.S.	$935±$83Lowest 34% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,192Highest 66% above U.S.	$4,184Lowest 34% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	34.4%±10.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	38.5%±9.4Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Lenox and Barre 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%	10.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	50.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	77.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S.	1955Highest 25 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	19 minLowest 30% below U.S.	25 minHighest 7% below U.S.
Work from home	10.5%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1%	8%±3Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Barre and Lenox 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	#412 of 484 in NY
School district	Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center	ONEIDA CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT · CANASTOTA CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT
High school in town	Spaulding Union High School	CANASTOTA HIGH SCHOOL
Students per teacherat that high school	10.7Lowest	13.6Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.