Compare towns
Barre vs Newfane vs Middlesex vs 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 renters (49.6% rent).
Newfane has the oldest population (median age 54.4).
Middlesex has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.8%).
Bennington has the shortest commute (17 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 | Newfane | Middlesex | Bennington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,412 |
1,456Lowest |
1,943 |
15,249Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-4.7% VT: +2.8% |
+2.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-2.7% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
54.4±3.9Highest 26% above VT |
44.4±3.9 3% above VT |
44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
| Kids under 18 | 13.5%±3.8 VT: 17.9% |
11.1%±3.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21.3%±3.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3 VT: 17.9% |
| Middlesex and Bennington 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% |
29.2%±3.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.6%±3.7 VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8 VT: 21.4% |
| Newfane and Bennington 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% |
46.5% VT: 43.8% |
54.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
36.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
2.4%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
5.2%±2.6 VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Middlesex 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 VT |
$66,719±$21k 18% below VT |
$109,632±$13kHighest 35% above VT |
$59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $210,400±$15kLowest 34% below VT |
$284,200±$49k 10% below VT |
$376,300±$40kHighest 19% above VT |
$213,300±$15k 33% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58Lowest 11% below VT |
$1,266±$238 about the VT average |
$1,333±$359Highest 8% above VT |
$1,133±$63 8% below VT |
| Middlesex and Newfane are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192 3% above VT |
$5,174 about the VT average |
$6,483Highest 29% above VT |
$4,513Lowest 10% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3 VT: 48.4% |
51.9%±79.7 VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Newfane 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% |
10.9% VT: 10.1% |
3.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
13.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
87.2% VT: 73.2% |
96.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
58.4% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1971 5 yrs older than VT |
1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
1961 15 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 21% below VT |
27 min 13% above VT |
27 minHighest 17% above VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
30.8%±12.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
28.4%±10.7 VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
| Newfane and Middlesex 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 | — | — | #58 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | West River Valley Union Education District #72A | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | None in town | None in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
— | — | 14.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.