Compare towns
Barre vs Putney vs Newfane
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).
Putney has grown the fastest since 2010 (-3.1%).
Newfane has the most people working from home (30.8%).
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 | Putney | Newfane |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412Highest |
2,622 |
1,456Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-4.7% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6 about the VT average |
37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below VT |
54.4±3.9Highest 26% above VT |
| Kids under 18 | 13.5%±3.8 VT: 17.9% |
15.4%±4.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.1%±3.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Putney and Barre 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% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.2%±3.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
46.5% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
2.4%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $65,625±$7kLowest 19% below VT |
$79,706±$18kHighest about the VT average |
$66,719±$21k 18% below VT |
| Putney and Newfane are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $210,400±$15kLowest 34% below VT |
$300,000±$44kHighest 5% below VT |
$284,200±$49k 10% below VT |
| Putney and Newfane are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58 11% below VT |
$508±$482Lowest 59% below VT |
$1,266±$238Highest about the VT average |
| Newfane and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192 3% above VT |
$5,313Highest 5% above VT |
$5,174Lowest about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
54.2%±19.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
51.9%±79.7 VT: 48.4% |
| Putney and Newfane 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% VT: 10.1% |
10.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
72.8% VT: 73.2% |
87.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
1971 5 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 21% below VT |
18 minLowest 24% below VT |
27 minHighest 13% above VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.9%±6.5 VT: 16.9% |
30.8%±12.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Newfane and Putney 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 | #32 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | West River Valley Union Education District #72A |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.