Compare towns
Barre vs Putney vs Underhill
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 the shortest commute (18 min average).
Underhill has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.7%).
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 | Underhill |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412Highest |
2,622Lowest |
3,141 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.1% VT: +2.8% |
+3.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Highest about the VT average |
37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below VT |
38.1±11.4 12% below VT |
| Barre and Underhill 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% |
15.4%±4.1 VT: 17.9% |
27.8%±10.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Underhill and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±3.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
18.1%±3.8 VT: 21.4% |
17.6%±6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Barre and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.6% VT: 43.8% |
50.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
3.5%±2 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $65,625±$7kLowest 19% below VT |
$79,706±$18k about the VT average |
$92,267±$54kHighest 14% above VT |
| Underhill and Putney 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±$44k 5% below VT |
$446,000±$24kHighest 41% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58Highest 11% below VT |
$508±$482Lowest 59% below VT |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192Lowest 3% above VT |
$5,313 5% above VT |
$6,697Highest 33% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3 VT: 48.4% |
54.2%±19.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
0%±18.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Putney 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% VT: 10.1% |
6.4%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
72.8% VT: 73.2% |
79.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 21% below VT |
18 minLowest 24% below VT |
33 minHighest 39% above VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.9%±6.5 VT: 16.9% |
19.4%±11.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Underhill 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 | #2 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Mount Mansfield Unified Union School District #401 |
| 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.