Compare towns
Barre vs Rupert vs Sandgate
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).
Rupert has the most expensive homes ($363k median).
Sandgate has the most people working from home (34.6%).
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 | Rupert | Sandgate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412Highest |
676 |
435Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-2.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
57.8±9.7Highest 34% above VT |
55.7±5.4 29% above VT |
| Rupert and Sandgate 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% |
13.9%±3.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.1%±7.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Rupert and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
42.3%±8.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
26%±11.3 VT: 21.4% |
| Rupert and Sandgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.1% VT: 43.8% |
30.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
37.8%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9Highest VT: 7% |
2.1%±2.5Lowest VT: 7% |
2.3%±2.4 VT: 7% |
| Barre and Sandgate 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 |
$88,229±$36kHighest 9% above VT |
$69,167±$19k 15% below VT |
| Rupert and Sandgate 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 |
$362,500±$63kHighest 14% above VT |
$193,800±$31kLowest 39% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58 11% below VT |
— | — |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192Highest 3% above VT |
$4,594 9% below VT |
$2,778Lowest 45% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
20%±100 VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Barre and Rupert 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% |
6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
93.7% VT: 73.2% |
94.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1955 21 yrs older than VT |
1959Highest 17 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 21% below VT |
27 min 14% above VT |
27 minHighest 16% above VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
18.6%±9.2 VT: 16.9% |
34.6%±32.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Sandgate and Rupert 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 | — | — |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | — | — |
| 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.