Compare towns
Barre vs Mapleton vs St. Johnsbury vs Berlin
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).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
St. Johnsbury has the most people working from home (17.6%).
Berlin has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.3%).
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 | St. Johnsbury | Berlin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,412Highest |
1,884Lowest |
7,368 |
2,880 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6 8% above U.S. |
41.8±6Lowest 7% above U.S. |
42.8±3.8 10% above U.S. |
50.6±2.4Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 13.5%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
21%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
16.6%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Mapleton and St. Johnsbury 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%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.8%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Berlin and St. Johnsbury 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% |
30.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.5%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% |
5.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±2.9 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±$25kHighest 14% above U.S. |
$57,738±$9kLowest 28% below U.S. |
$86,691±$21k 7% above U.S. |
| Mapleton and Berlin 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. |
$177,700±$17kLowest 47% below U.S. |
$273,600±$31kHighest 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58 23% below U.S. |
$610±$277Lowest 57% below U.S. |
$914±$44 35% below U.S. |
$1,169±$171Highest 17% below U.S. |
| Berlin 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. |
$3,916 26% above U.S. |
$4,418 42% 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% |
48%±11Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41%±19.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| St. Johnsbury and Berlin 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%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
59.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1944Lowest 36 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
20 min 26% below U.S. |
21 min 20% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.8%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.6%±4.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.7%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| St. Johnsbury and Berlin 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 | — | #60 of 70 in VT | #16 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| 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.