Compare towns
Barre vs Nelson vs Sullivan
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).
Nelson has the most people working from home (31.5%).
Sullivan has grown the fastest since 2010 (-2.8%).
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 | Nelson | Sullivan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412Highest |
648Lowest |
687 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-13.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Lowest 8% above U.S. |
42.3±11.7 9% above U.S. |
46.6±6.5Highest 20% above U.S. |
| Sullivan and Nelson 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% |
27.5%±6.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±5 U.S.: 22% |
| Nelson and Sullivan 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% |
24.8%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.5%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Nelson and Sullivan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
61.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Sullivan 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. |
$99,792±$23k 24% above U.S. |
$106,667±$20kHighest 32% above U.S. |
| Sullivan and Nelson 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. |
$340,900±$49kHighest about the U.S. average |
$236,500±$29k 29% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$1,203±$243 15% below U.S. |
$1,225±$275Highest 13% below U.S. |
| Sullivan and Nelson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192 66% above U.S. |
$5,575Highest 79% above U.S. |
$5,099Lowest 63% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±68.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±84.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 17.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
31.5%±8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
4.2%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #19 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Nelson School District | — |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7 |
— | — |
| 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.