Compare towns
Barre vs Peru vs Windham vs Barre
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).
Peru has the highest household income ($152k).
Windham has the most people working from home (20.5%).
Barre has the oldest population (median age 48.4).
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 | Peru | Windham | Barre |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,412Highest |
434Lowest |
594 |
8,005 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | — | 0%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
45.3±8.6 5% above VT |
44.2±7.4 about the VT average |
48.4±4.2Highest 12% above VT |
| Barre and Peru 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% |
8.5%±5.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
16.6%±3.3 VT: 17.9% |
| Windham 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% |
21.4%±5 VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.7%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
| Windham and Barre 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% |
54.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48.1% VT: 43.8% |
39.2% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9Highest VT: 7% |
1.8%±3.2 VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
2.5%±1.2 VT: 7% |
| Barre 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±$7kLowest 19% below VT |
$151,875±$83kHighest 87% above VT |
$94,500±$12k 16% above VT |
$93,210±$9k 15% above VT |
| Peru and Windham 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 |
$400,000±$105kHighest 26% above VT |
$353,900±$20k 12% above VT |
$281,400±$13k 11% below VT |
| Peru and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58Lowest 11% below VT |
$1,271±$820 about the VT average |
— | $1,524±$399Highest 24% above VT |
| Barre and Peru 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 |
$5,000 about the VT average |
$5,951Highest 18% above VT |
$4,737Lowest 6% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3 VT: 48.4% |
29%±47.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
42.4%±20.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Barre and Windham 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% |
1.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.9% VT: 10.1% |
2.5% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
79% VT: 73.2% |
82.9% VT: 73.2% |
88.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1981 5 yrs newer than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1974 2 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 21% below VT |
28 minHighest 19% above VT |
27 min 14% above VT |
23 min 4% below VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
13.3%±16.4 VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
13.7%±4.5 VT: 16.9% |
| Windham 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 | — | — | #19 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | — | — | Barre Unified Union School District #97 |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | — | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7 |
— | — | — |
| 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.