Compare towns
Barre vs St. Johnsbury 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).
St. Johnsbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (-3.1%).
Wheelock has the most homeowners (97.9%).
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 | St. Johnsbury | Wheelock |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412Highest |
7,368 |
717Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2% VT: +2.8% |
-3.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-6.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
42.8±3.8 about the VT average |
51±5.6Highest 18% above VT |
| Wheelock and St. Johnsbury 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% |
21%±2.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.5 VT: 17.9% |
| St. Johnsbury and Wheelock 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% |
21.1%±3.6 VT: 21.4% |
29.4%±4.7Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Wheelock and St. Johnsbury 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% |
30.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
34.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
5.6%±2.2Highest VT: 7% |
2.8%±2.3Lowest VT: 7% |
| St. Johnsbury 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 |
$57,738±$9kLowest 29% 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 |
$177,700±$17kLowest 44% 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 |
$914±$44Lowest 26% below VT |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192Highest 3% above VT |
$3,916 22% below VT |
$2,937Lowest 42% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3 VT: 48.4% |
48%±11Highest VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| St. Johnsbury 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% |
16.8% VT: 10.1% |
8.7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
59.6% VT: 73.2% |
97.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 29 yrs older than VT |
1944Lowest 32 yrs older than VT |
1989Highest 13 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 21% below VT |
20 min 17% below VT |
28 minHighest 17% above VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.6%±4.8 VT: 16.9% |
21.1%±16Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Wheelock and St. Johnsbury 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 | #60 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 Our Story | 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.