Compare towns
Barre vs Proctor vs Wallingford
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).
Proctor has the most homeowners (86.3%).
Wallingford has the most expensive homes ($262k median).
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 | Proctor | Wallingford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412Highest |
1,586Lowest |
2,286 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | +2.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
47.3±8.9Highest 10% above VT |
45.9±10.8 6% above VT |
| Proctor and Wallingford 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% |
17.2%±5 VT: 17.9% |
18.7%±5Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Wallingford and Proctor 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% |
23.5%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
23.9%±3.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Wallingford and Proctor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
28%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
30.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
3.9%±1.9Highest VT: 7% |
1.5%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Proctor 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 |
$75,060±$12k 8% below VT |
$80,230±$15kHighest about the VT average |
| Wallingford and Proctor 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 |
$206,000±$20kLowest 35% below VT |
$261,900±$44kHighest 17% below VT |
| Wallingford and Barre 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 |
$1,059±$200 14% below VT |
$891±$95Lowest 28% below VT |
| Barre and Proctor 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 |
$3,944Lowest 22% below VT |
$4,355 14% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3 VT: 48.4% |
39.4%±15.6Highest VT: 48.4% |
14.3%±13.5Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Proctor 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% |
10% VT: 10.1% |
7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
86.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
82.5% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 29 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1971Highest 5 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 21% below VT |
22 min 5% below VT |
25 minHighest 6% above VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
10%±5 VT: 16.9% |
7.1%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Barre and Proctor 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 | — | — |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | — | Mill River Unified Union School District #52 |
| 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 |
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.