Compare towns
Barre vs Stowe vs Underhill
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 affordable homes ($210k median).
Stowe has grown the fastest since 2010 (+21.1%).
Underhill has the most kids (27.8% under 18).
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 | Stowe | Underhill |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412Highest |
5,285 |
3,141Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+21.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+3.7% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6 about the VT average |
46.3±7.6Highest 7% above VT |
38.1±11.4Lowest 12% below VT |
| Stowe 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% |
22.5%±4.6 VT: 17.9% |
27.8%±10.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Underhill and Stowe 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% |
25.8%±6.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
17.6%±6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Stowe and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
66.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
50.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
1.6%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
3.5%±2Highest VT: 7% |
| Underhill 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±$7kLowest 19% below VT |
$93,618±$33kHighest 15% above VT |
$92,267±$54k 14% above VT |
| Stowe and Underhill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $210,400±$15kLowest 34% below VT |
$647,800±$157kHighest 105% above VT |
$446,000±$24k 41% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58Lowest 11% below VT |
$1,458±$242Highest 18% above VT |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192Lowest 3% above VT |
$7,161Highest 42% above VT |
$6,697 33% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
24.5%±15.9 VT: 48.4% |
0%±18.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Barre and Stowe 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% |
9.9% VT: 10.1% |
6.4%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
78.6% VT: 73.2% |
79.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 21% below VT |
19 min 18% below VT |
33 minHighest 39% above VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
24.4%±8.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
19.4%±11.3 VT: 16.9% |
| Stowe and Underhill 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 | — | #2 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Stowe Town School District | Mount Mansfield Unified Union School District #401 |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | Stowe High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
11.3Highest |
— |
| 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.