What stands out worked out from the figures below

Barre has the oldest population (median age 42.2).

Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).

Middlebury is a college town. 40.9% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.

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	Middlebury
People
Population	8,412Highest	7,220Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8%	+10.9%Highest VT: +2.8%
Median age	42.2±6.6Highest about the VT average	23.7±1.3Lowest 45% below VT
Kids under 18	13.5%±3.8Highest VT: 17.9%	8.5%±1.7Lowest VT: 17.9%
	Barre and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.4%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4%	19.8%±2.6Highest VT: 21.4%
	Middlebury 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%Lowest VT: 43.8%	61.9%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.4%±1.9Lowest VT: 7%	40.9%±2.3Highest VT: 7%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$65,625±$7kLowest 19% below VT	$86,250±$18kHighest 6% above VT
	Middlebury 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±$15kLowest 34% below VT	$417,400±$31kHighest 32% above VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,093±$58Lowest 11% below VT	$1,201±$120Highest about the VT average
	Middlebury and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,192Lowest 3% above VT	$6,795Highest 35% above VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4%	56.6%±15.8Highest VT: 48.4%
	Middlebury 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 VT: 10.1%	15.2%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2%	56.8%Highest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT	1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	19 minHighest 21% below VT	15 minLowest 38% below VT
Work from home	10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9%	19.1%±4.4Highest VT: 16.9%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#19 of 70 in VT	#17 of 70 in VT
School district	Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center	—
High school in town	Spaulding Union High School	—
Students per teacherat that high school	10.7	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	6 photos →

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.