Compare towns
Barre vs Springfield vs Brattleboro
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barre has the most affordable homes ($210k median).
Springfield has the most homeowners (90.7%).
Brattleboro has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.1%).
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 | Springfield | Brattleboro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412 |
1,122Lowest |
12,122Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Lowest 8% above U.S. |
51.4±8.8Highest 32% above U.S. |
45.6±4.5 17% above U.S. |
| Springfield and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.5%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.1%±8 U.S.: 22% |
19%±2.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Brattleboro and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±1.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
0%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brattleboro 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±$7k 19% below U.S. |
$100,893±$19kHighest 25% above U.S. |
$58,241±$8kLowest 28% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $210,400±$15kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$384,100±$50kHighest 15% above U.S. |
$257,300±$18k 23% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58 23% below U.S. |
$1,096±$217Highest 22% below U.S. |
$1,074±$58Lowest 24% below U.S. |
| Springfield and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192Lowest 66% above U.S. |
$5,946Highest 91% above U.S. |
$5,700 83% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
25.9%±64.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±9.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brattleboro and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 17.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
17.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1955 25 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
19 min 28% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.7%±11.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.9%±4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brattleboro and Springfield 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 | — | #33 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | — | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | — | Brattleboro Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Highest |
— | 9.0Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.