Compare towns
Barre vs Proctor vs Highgate
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.3%).
Highgate has the most people working from home (14.9%).
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 | Highgate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412Highest |
1,794Lowest |
3,528 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.3%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-1.8% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
42.4±6.4 about the VT average |
44±7.4Highest about the VT average |
| Highgate and Proctor 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% |
21.8%±4.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
15.8%±5.3 VT: 17.9% |
| Proctor and Highgate 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% |
22.4%±2.5Highest VT: 21.4% |
22.2%±5.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Proctor and Highgate 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% |
28.1% VT: 43.8% |
19.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
3.6%±1.7Highest VT: 7% |
2.6%±2.1Lowest 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 |
$74,167±$12k 9% below VT |
$81,017±$14kHighest about the VT average |
| Highgate 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 |
$209,900±$17kLowest 34% below VT |
$280,500±$21kHighest 11% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58Highest 11% below VT |
$1,029±$202 17% below VT |
$895±$691Lowest 27% 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 |
$4,032 20% below VT |
$3,558Lowest 29% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3 VT: 48.4% |
37.3%±16.2Highest VT: 48.4% |
30.5%±11.3Lowest 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% |
16.2% VT: 10.1% |
8.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
86.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 29 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 21% below VT |
22 min 6% below VT |
31 minHighest 32% above VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
9.4%±4.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
14.9%±7.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Highgate 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 | — | #43 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Quarry Valley Unified Union School District #70 | Missisquoi Valley School District #89 |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | Proctor Junior/Senior High School | Missisquoi Valley Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Highest |
8.7Lowest |
9.8 |
| 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.