Compare towns
Barre vs Putney vs Worcester
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 most kids (15.4% under 18).
Worcester has the most people working from home (23.6%).
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 | Putney | Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412Highest |
2,622 |
831Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.4% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6 about the VT average |
37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below VT |
47±2.7Highest 9% above VT |
| Worcester and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.5%±3.8 VT: 17.9% |
15.4%±4.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
12.8%±3.9Lowest 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% |
19.5%±2.5Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Worcester 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%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.6% VT: 43.8% |
53%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
6.9%±4.7 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $65,625±$7kLowest 19% below VT |
$79,706±$18kHighest about the VT average |
$73,833±$18k 9% below VT |
| Putney and Worcester 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 |
$271,100±$27k 14% below VT |
| Putney and Worcester 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 |
$508±$482Lowest 59% below VT |
$1,023±$136 17% below VT |
| Barre and Worcester 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 |
$4,421Lowest 12% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3 VT: 48.4% |
54.2%±19.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
25.5%±37Lowest 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% |
5.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
72.8% VT: 73.2% |
85.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 21% below VT |
18 minLowest 24% below VT |
29 minHighest 22% above VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.9%±6.5 VT: 16.9% |
23.6%±4.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Worcester 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 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| 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 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.