Compare towns
Barre vs Stark vs Bennington
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 renters (49.6% rent).
Stark has the most homeowners (92.5%).
Bennington has grown the fastest since 2010 (-2.7%).
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 | Stark | Bennington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412 |
419Lowest |
15,249Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-14%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Lowest 8% above U.S. |
58.8±3.6Highest 51% above U.S. |
44.7±2.3 15% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 13.5%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±6.9 U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±2.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Bennington and Stark 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% |
27.2%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Stark and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
17.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±4.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bennington and Stark 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. |
$71,750±$23kHighest 11% below U.S. |
$59,446±$7kLowest 26% below U.S. |
| Stark 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 37% below U.S. |
$197,700±$34kLowest 41% below U.S. |
$213,300±$15kHighest 36% below U.S. |
| Bennington and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58Lowest 23% below U.S. |
— | $1,133±$63Highest 20% below U.S. |
| Bennington and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192Highest 66% above U.S. |
$2,636Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$4,513 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
66.7%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.8%±14.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bennington and Stark are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 17.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1968Highest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 30% below U.S. |
34 minHighest 28% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.9%±6.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bennington and Stark 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 | — | #58 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Stark School District | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | None in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
— | 14.7Highest |
| 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.