Compare towns
Barre vs Newport 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).
Newport has the shortest commute (15 min average).
Bennington has the most kids (17.7% under 18).
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 | Newport | Bennington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412 |
4,394Lowest |
15,249Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-2.9% VT: +2.8% |
-2.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
46.4±4.3Highest 8% above VT |
44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
| Newport and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.5%±3.8 VT: 17.9% |
13.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Bennington and Barre 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% |
25.8%±4.7Highest VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8 VT: 21.4% |
| Newport 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% VT: 43.8% |
25.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
36.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
2.8%±1.5Lowest VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
| Bennington 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±$7kHighest 19% below VT |
$54,646±$12kLowest 33% below VT |
$59,446±$7k 27% below VT |
| Barre and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $210,400±$15k 34% below VT |
$179,400±$11kLowest 43% below VT |
$213,300±$15kHighest 33% below VT |
| Bennington and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58 11% below VT |
$850±$49Lowest 31% below VT |
$1,133±$63Highest 8% below VT |
| Bennington and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192Highest 3% above VT |
$4,036Lowest 20% below VT |
$4,513 10% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
48.2%±15.8 VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Newport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 17.3% VT: 10.1% |
23%Highest VT: 10.1% |
13.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
57.6% VT: 73.2% |
58.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1966Highest 10 yrs older than VT |
1961 15 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minHighest 21% below VT |
15 minLowest 38% below VT |
17 min 27% below VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.8%±8.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
| Newport and Bennington 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 | #63 of 70 in VT | #58 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Newport City School District · North Country Union High School District | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | North Country Union High School | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
10.7Lowest |
14.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.