Compare towns
Barre vs Sheffield vs Berlin
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).
Sheffield has the most affordable homes ($172k median).
Berlin has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.3%).
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 | Sheffield | Berlin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412Highest |
573Lowest |
2,880 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3% VT: +2.8% |
-1.3%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6 about the VT average |
42±8Lowest about the VT average |
50.6±2.4Highest 17% above VT |
| Berlin and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.5%±3.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.1%±6.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
16.6%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Sheffield and Berlin 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% |
19.2%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
26.8%±4.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Berlin 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%Highest VT: 43.8% |
27.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
28.5% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
5.9%±4.7Highest VT: 7% |
3.9%±2.9 VT: 7% |
| Sheffield and Berlin 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 |
$58,333±$26kLowest 28% below VT |
$86,691±$21kHighest 7% above VT |
| Berlin 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±$15k 34% below VT |
$171,900±$50kLowest 46% below VT |
$273,600±$31kHighest 14% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58 11% below VT |
$967±$79Lowest 22% below VT |
$1,169±$171Highest 5% below VT |
| Berlin and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192Highest 3% above VT |
$2,123Lowest 58% below VT |
$4,418 12% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
61.5%±41.2Highest VT: 48.4% |
41%±19.9 VT: 48.4% |
| Sheffield and Berlin 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% |
6.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
10.9% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
83.7% VT: 73.2% |
87.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1987Highest 11 yrs newer than VT |
1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 21% below VT |
30 minHighest 28% above VT |
21 min 10% below VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
6.1%±2.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
11.7%±3.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Berlin and Barre 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 | — | #16 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 | 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.