Compare towns
Barre vs Meredith vs South Barre
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).
Meredith has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.7%).
South Barre has the shortest commute (15 min average).
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 | Meredith | South Barre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412Highest |
6,758 |
1,346Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Lowest 8% above U.S. |
55.5±3.7Highest 43% above U.S. |
52.7±2.6 35% above U.S. |
| Meredith and South Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.5%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
9.9%±5.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Barre and Meredith 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% |
34.2%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
11.5%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.8%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Barre and Meredith 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. |
$87,019±$19kHighest 8% above U.S. |
$78,050±$16k 3% below U.S. |
| Meredith and South Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $210,400±$15kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$480,100±$48kHighest 44% above U.S. |
$257,600±$25k 23% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$1,149±$304 19% below U.S. |
$1,609±$371Highest 14% above U.S. |
| South Barre and Meredith 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. |
$5,006 61% above U.S. |
$4,750Lowest 52% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.5%±9.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
36.1%±40.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Meredith and South 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% |
7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 30% below U.S. |
26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
15 minLowest 43% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.5%±10.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Meredith and South Barre 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 | #62 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | — |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | Inter-Lakes High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
11.1Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.