Compare towns
Barre vs North Bennington vs Windsor
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 youngest population (median age 42.2).
North Bennington has the most people working from home (17.3%).
Windsor has the most kids (21.1% 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 | North Bennington | Windsor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412Highest |
1,336Lowest |
2,060 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+4.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+3.5% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
43.9±10 about the VT average |
44.6±12.3Highest 3% above VT |
| Windsor and North 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% |
10.4%±2.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21.1%±8.8Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Windsor 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% |
31.9%±8.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
29.2%±8 VT: 21.4% |
| North Bennington and Windsor 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% |
41.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
40% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
21.6%±6.5Highest VT: 7% |
1.2%±1.4Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $65,625±$7k 19% below VT |
$68,571±$10kHighest 16% below VT |
$51,197±$4kLowest 37% below VT |
| North Bennington 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±$15k 34% below VT |
$313,000±$40kHighest about the VT average |
$170,300±$22kLowest 46% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58 11% below VT |
$1,447±$278Highest 17% above VT |
$1,002±$107Lowest 19% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192 3% above VT |
$5,590Highest 11% above VT |
$4,878Lowest 3% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3 VT: 48.4% |
53.7%±26.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
31.4%±20Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| North 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% |
7.4%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
7.8% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
61.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
51.6% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 29 yrs older than VT |
1957Highest 19 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 21% below VT |
18 minLowest 24% below VT |
22 minHighest 6% below VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
17.3%±7.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
6.6%±4.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| North Bennington and Barre 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 | — | #61 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 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.