Compare towns
Barre vs Newfane vs Old Bennington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barre has the most affordable homes ($210k median).
Newfane has the shortest commute (12 min average).
Old Bennington has the most people working from home (46.7%).
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 | Newfane | Old Bennington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412Highest |
141Lowest |
182 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2% VT: +2.8% |
— | — |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6 about the VT average |
30.8±12Lowest 29% below VT |
45±21.3Highest 4% above VT |
| Old Bennington 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 VT: 17.9% |
18.4%±16.4 VT: 17.9% |
22.5%±12Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Old Bennington and Newfane are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±3.9 VT: 21.4% |
16.3%±19.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.8%±8Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Old Bennington 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% |
64.9% VT: 43.8% |
84.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
4.3%±11.4Highest VT: 7% |
0%±7.8Lowest VT: 7% |
| Newfane 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 VT |
$85,938±$84k 6% above VT |
$168,750±$53kHighest 108% above VT |
| Old Bennington and Newfane 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 |
$347,400±$55k 10% above VT |
$445,500±$105kHighest 41% above VT |
| Old Bennington and Newfane are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58Highest 11% below VT |
$1,083±$331 12% below VT |
$1,063±$1kLowest 14% below VT |
| Barre and Newfane 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 |
$5,833 16% above VT |
$8,690Highest 72% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3 VT: 48.4% |
28.6%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
40%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Old Bennington 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% |
12.8% VT: 10.1% |
0%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
75% VT: 73.2% |
93.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Highest 29 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 21% below VT |
12 minLowest 49% below VT |
28 minHighest 20% above VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
13.1%±14.2 VT: 16.9% |
46.7%±3.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
| 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 | — | — |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
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.