Compare towns
Barre vs Sheffield 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).
Sheffield has grown the fastest since 2010 (-3%).
Wheelock has the most people working from home (21.1%).
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 | Wheelock |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412Highest |
573Lowest |
717 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2% VT: +2.8% |
-3%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-6.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6 about the VT average |
42±8Lowest about the VT average |
51±5.6Highest 18% above VT |
| Wheelock 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%±6.6 VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Wheelock and Sheffield 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% |
29.4%±4.7Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
27.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
34.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
5.9%±4.7Highest VT: 7% |
2.8%±2.3Lowest VT: 7% |
| Sheffield and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $65,625±$7kHighest 19% below VT |
$58,333±$26kLowest 28% below VT |
$64,792±$20k 20% below VT |
| Barre and Wheelock 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 |
$171,900±$50kLowest 46% below VT |
$189,600±$37k 40% below VT |
| Barre and Wheelock 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 |
$967±$79Lowest 22% below VT |
— |
| Barre and Sheffield 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 |
$2,937 42% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3 VT: 48.4% |
61.5%±41.2Highest VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Sheffield 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% |
6.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
83.7% VT: 73.2% |
97.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1987 11 yrs newer than VT |
1989Highest 13 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 21% below VT |
30 minHighest 28% above VT |
28 min 17% above VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
6.1%±2.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
21.1%±16Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Wheelock 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 | — | — |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 | — |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | 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.