Compare towns
Barre vs Proctor vs South 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).
Proctor has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.3%).
South Barre has the most people working from home (16.5%).
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 | South Barre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412Highest |
1,794 |
1,346Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.3%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-2.1% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
42.4±6.4 about the VT average |
52.7±2.6Highest 22% above VT |
| Kids under 18 | 13.5%±3.8 VT: 17.9% |
21.8%±4.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
9.9%±5.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±3.9 VT: 21.4% |
22.4%±2.5Highest VT: 21.4% |
11.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Proctor 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%Highest VT: 43.8% |
28.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
34.7% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
3.6%±1.7Highest VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.5Lowest 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 |
$78,050±$16kHighest 4% below VT |
| South Barre 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 |
$257,600±$25kHighest 19% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58 11% below VT |
$1,029±$202Lowest 17% below VT |
$1,609±$371Highest 30% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192Highest 3% above VT |
$4,032Lowest 20% below VT |
$4,750 6% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
37.3%±16.2Highest VT: 48.4% |
36.1%±40.7 VT: 48.4% |
| Proctor and South 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% |
7.4%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
86.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
82.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 29 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1969Highest 7 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 21% below VT |
22 minHighest 6% below VT |
15 minLowest 36% below VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
9.4%±4.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.5%±10.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
| South Barre 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 | — | — |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Quarry Valley Unified Union School District #70 | — |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | Proctor Junior/Senior High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Highest |
8.7Lowest |
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| 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.