Compare towns
Barre vs Putnam vs St. Johnsbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).
Putnam has the most homeowners (95.9%).
St. Johnsbury has the most people working from home (17.6%).
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 | Putnam | St. Johnsbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412Highest |
540Lowest |
7,368 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-6.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Lowest 8% above U.S. |
53.6±6.4Highest 38% above U.S. |
42.8±3.8 10% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 13.5%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.4%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
21%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| St. Johnsbury and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
35.6%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
30.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| St. Johnsbury 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±$7k 19% below U.S. |
$92,344±$14kHighest 14% above U.S. |
$57,738±$9kLowest 28% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $210,400±$15k 37% below U.S. |
$266,200±$48kHighest 20% below U.S. |
$177,700±$17kLowest 47% below U.S. |
| Putnam 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 23% below U.S. |
— | $914±$44Lowest 35% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192Highest 66% above U.S. |
$3,674Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$3,916 26% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48%±11Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| St. Johnsbury 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
7.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1944Lowest 36 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
21 minHighest 19% below U.S. |
20 min 26% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.6%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.6%±4.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| St. Johnsbury 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 | — | #60 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | PUTNAM CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — |
| 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 |
U.S. 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.