Compare towns
Barre vs Mapleton vs Berwick vs St. Johnsbury
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).
Berwick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.7%).
St. Johnsbury has the most affordable homes ($178k 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 | Mapleton | Berwick | St. Johnsbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,412Highest |
1,884Lowest |
8,175 |
7,368 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6 8% above U.S. |
41.8±6 7% above U.S. |
40.7±2.9Lowest 5% above U.S. |
42.8±3.8Highest 10% above U.S. |
| St. Johnsbury 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% |
22.2%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
22.7%±4.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
21%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Berwick and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±3.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.3%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| St. Johnsbury 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% |
34.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
35% U.S.: 35.7% |
30.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| St. Johnsbury and Mapleton 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. |
$91,731±$25k 14% above U.S. |
$94,771±$24kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$57,738±$9kLowest 28% below U.S. |
| Berwick and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $210,400±$15k 37% below U.S. |
$191,800±$23k 42% below U.S. |
$369,100±$19kHighest 11% above U.S. |
$177,700±$17kLowest 47% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58 23% below U.S. |
$610±$277Lowest 57% below U.S. |
$1,452±$430Highest about the U.S. average |
$914±$44 35% below U.S. |
| Berwick and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192Highest 66% above U.S. |
$1,789Lowest 43% below U.S. |
$4,436 42% above U.S. |
$3,916 26% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±46Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48%±11 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Berwick and St. Johnsbury 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% |
8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1944Lowest 36 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
30 minHighest 12% above U.S. |
20 min 26% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.8%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.2%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.6%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Berwick and St. Johnsbury 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 | — | #101 of 133 in ME | #60 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 60/MSAD 60 | — |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | None in town | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7 |
— | — | — |
| 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.