Compare towns
Barre vs Springfield vs Ira
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 shortest commute (19 min average).
Springfield has the most people working from home (15.1%).
Ira has the most homeowners (90.7%).
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 | Ira |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412 |
9,084Highest |
381Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.3%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
43.2±3.7 about the VT average |
54.1±5.5Highest 26% above VT |
| Kids under 18 | 13.5%±3.8 VT: 17.9% |
18.6%±3.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
10.5%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Springfield 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% |
23.6%±3.7 VT: 21.4% |
28.9%±3.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Ira and Springfield 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% |
23.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
37.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9Highest VT: 7% |
2.3%±1.4Lowest VT: 7% |
3.4%±3.5Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $65,625±$7kLowest 19% below VT |
$66,571±$13k 18% below VT |
$71,827±$5kHighest 12% below VT |
| Ira and Springfield 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 |
$192,400±$20kLowest 39% below VT |
$272,900±$18kHighest 14% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58Highest 11% below VT |
$963±$100 22% below VT |
$942±$52Lowest 24% below VT |
| Barre and Springfield 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 |
$4,807 5% below VT |
$4,146Lowest 18% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
49.6%±15.6Highest VT: 48.4% |
36.4%±100 VT: 48.4% |
| Springfield and Ira 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% |
14.8% VT: 10.1% |
14.4%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
67.7% VT: 73.2% |
90.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1958 18 yrs older than VT |
1975Highest 1 yr older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 21% below VT |
27 min 16% above VT |
28 minHighest 20% above VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±5.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Springfield 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 | #64 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | River Valley Technical Center · Springfield School District | — |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | Springfield High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
14.3Highest |
— |
| 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.