Compare towns
Barre vs Proctor vs Wolcott
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%).
Wolcott has the most people working from home (13.9%).
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 | Wolcott |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412Highest |
1,794 |
1,507Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.3%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.4% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
42.4±6.4Highest about the VT average |
42.4±5.9Highest about the VT average |
| Kids under 18 | 13.5%±3.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21.8%±4.4 VT: 17.9% |
22.8%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Wolcott and Proctor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±3.9 VT: 21.4% |
22.4%±2.5Highest VT: 21.4% |
11.1%±2.4Lowest 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% |
31.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
3.6%±1.7Highest VT: 7% |
3.4%±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±$12kHighest 9% below VT |
$70,259±$10k 13% below VT |
| Proctor and Wolcott 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 |
$221,300±$23kHighest 30% below VT |
| Wolcott 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 |
$1,029±$202Lowest 17% below VT |
$1,059±$118 14% below VT |
| Barre and Wolcott 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 |
$3,930Lowest 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
37.3%±16.2 VT: 48.4% |
75.7%±21.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 17.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
16.2% VT: 10.1% |
9.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
86.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79.5% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 29 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 21% below VT |
22 min 6% below VT |
27 minHighest 13% above VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
9.4%±4.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
13.9%±4.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Wolcott 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 | Wolcott School District |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | Proctor Junior/Senior High School | None in town |
| 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.