Compare towns
Barre vs Northfield vs Brattleboro
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).
Northfield has the most homeowners (73.5%).
Brattleboro has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.1%).
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 | Northfield | Brattleboro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412 |
5,920Lowest |
12,122Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-4.7% VT: +2.8% |
+1.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6 about the VT average |
36.4±4.1Lowest 16% below VT |
45.6±4.5Highest 6% above VT |
| Brattleboro 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% |
14.6%±3.7 VT: 17.9% |
19%±2.8Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Brattleboro and Northfield 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% |
20%±3.8 VT: 21.4% |
25.5%±3.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Brattleboro and Northfield 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% |
34.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
46.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
15.1%±2.1Highest VT: 7% |
4.1%±1.6 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $65,625±$7k 19% below VT |
$71,768±$13kHighest 12% below VT |
$58,241±$8kLowest 28% below VT |
| Northfield 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±$15kLowest 34% below VT |
$274,400±$21kHighest 13% below VT |
$257,300±$18k 19% below VT |
| Northfield and Brattleboro 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 |
$1,018±$207Lowest 18% below VT |
$1,074±$58 13% below VT |
| Barre and Brattleboro 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 |
$4,878Lowest 3% below VT |
$5,700Highest 13% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±17.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±9.6 VT: 48.4% |
| Northfield and Brattleboro 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% |
12.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
17.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
73.5%Highest VT: 73.2% |
58.5% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1956Highest 20 yrs older than VT |
1955 21 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 21% below VT |
27 minHighest 16% above VT |
19 min 19% below VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
12.1%±4.3 VT: 16.9% |
17.9%±4Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Brattleboro and Northfield 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 | #42 of 70 in VT | #33 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | Northfield Middle/High School | Brattleboro Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Highest |
10.0 |
9.0Lowest |
| 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.