Compare towns
Barre vs Strafford vs Warren
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).
Strafford has the most kids (23% under 18).
Warren has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16%).
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 | Strafford | Warren |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412Highest |
1,372Lowest |
1,585 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.4% VT: +2.8% |
+16%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
51.4±4.7 19% above VT |
53.1±4.2Highest 23% above VT |
| Warren and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.5%±3.8 VT: 17.9% |
23%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
9.3%±3.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
22.1%±3.4 VT: 21.4% |
30.1%±4.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Warren and Strafford 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% |
53.3% VT: 43.8% |
60%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
5.1%±2.6Highest VT: 7% |
3.6%±4 VT: 7% |
| Strafford and Warren 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 |
$110,833±$19kHighest 36% above VT |
$86,905±$16k 7% above VT |
| Strafford and Warren 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 |
$431,300±$40k 36% above VT |
$569,300±$123kHighest 80% above VT |
| Warren and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58Lowest 11% below VT |
$1,125±$789 9% below VT |
$1,750±$394Highest 42% above VT |
| Warren and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192Lowest 3% above VT |
$7,149 42% above VT |
$7,284Highest 45% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3 VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±48Highest VT: 48.4% |
32.3%±26.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Strafford 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% |
5.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
15.7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
86.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 21% below VT |
23 minHighest about the VT average |
19 minLowest 21% below VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.1%±4.3 VT: 16.9% |
36.2%±5Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #19 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Strafford School District | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7 |
— | — |
| 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.