Compare towns
Barre vs Sandgate vs Wheelock
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).
Sandgate has the most people working from home (34.6%).
Wheelock has the most kids (18.8% under 18).
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 | Sandgate | Wheelock |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412Highest |
435Lowest |
717 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— | -6.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
55.7±5.4Highest 29% above VT |
51±5.6 18% above VT |
| Sandgate and Wheelock 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% |
13.1%±7.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Wheelock 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% |
26%±11.3 VT: 21.4% |
29.4%±4.7Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Wheelock 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% |
37.8%Highest VT: 43.8% |
34.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9Highest VT: 7% |
2.3%±2.4Lowest VT: 7% |
2.8%±2.3 VT: 7% |
| Barre and Wheelock 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 VT |
$69,167±$19kHighest 15% below VT |
$64,792±$20kLowest 20% below VT |
| Sandgate and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $210,400±$15kHighest 34% below VT |
$193,800±$31k 39% below VT |
$189,600±$37kLowest 40% below VT |
| Barre and Sandgate 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 |
— | — |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192Highest 3% above VT |
$2,778Lowest 45% below VT |
$2,937 42% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Barre and Sandgate 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% |
9.7% VT: 10.1% |
8.7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
94.3% VT: 73.2% |
97.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1959 17 yrs older than VT |
1989Highest 13 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 21% below VT |
27 min 16% above VT |
28 minHighest 17% above VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
34.6%±32.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
21.1%±16 VT: 16.9% |
| Sandgate and Wheelock 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.