Compare towns
Barre vs Northfield vs Castleton vs Berlin
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).
Northfield has the youngest population (median age 36.4).
Castleton has the most kids (18.8% under 18).
Berlin has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.3%).
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 | Castleton | Berlin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,412Highest |
5,920 |
4,453 |
2,880Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-4.7% VT: +2.8% |
-5.5% VT: +2.8% |
-1.3%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6 about the VT average |
36.4±4.1Lowest 16% below VT |
38.3±4.3 11% below VT |
50.6±2.4Highest 17% above VT |
| Berlin 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% |
18.8%±6.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
16.6%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Castleton and Berlin 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% |
20.7%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
26.8%±4.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Berlin and Castleton 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% VT: 43.8% |
37.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
28.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
15.1%±2.1 VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
3.9%±2.9 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $65,625±$7kLowest 19% below VT |
$71,768±$13k 12% below VT |
$73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$86,691±$21kHighest 7% above VT |
| Berlin and Castleton 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 |
$224,800±$71k 29% below VT |
$273,600±$31k 14% below VT |
| Northfield and Berlin 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 |
$1,018±$207Lowest 18% below VT |
$1,137±$195 8% below VT |
$1,169±$171Highest 5% below VT |
| Berlin and Castleton 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 |
$4,878 3% below VT |
$3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$4,418 12% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±17.7 VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
41%±19.9 VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Northfield 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% |
12.5% VT: 10.1% |
12.5% VT: 10.1% |
10.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
73.5% VT: 73.2% |
79% VT: 73.2% |
87.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1956 20 yrs older than VT |
1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 21% below VT |
27 minHighest 16% above VT |
19 min 17% below VT |
21 min 10% below VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
12.1%±4.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
11.7%±3.8 VT: 16.9% |
| Northfield and Berlin 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 | #39 of 70 in VT | #16 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | Northfield Middle/High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Highest |
10.0Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.