Compare towns
Barre vs Sullivan vs Williston
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).
Sullivan has the most homeowners (93.6%).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
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 | Sullivan | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412 |
687Lowest |
10,144Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Lowest 8% above U.S. |
46.6±6.5Highest 20% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5 17% above U.S. |
| Sullivan and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.5%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±5 U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Williston and Sullivan 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% |
20.5%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Williston and Sullivan 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% |
28.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Williston and Sullivan 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 U.S. |
$106,667±$20k 32% above U.S. |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above U.S. |
| Williston and Sullivan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $210,400±$15kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$236,500±$29k 29% below U.S. |
$475,800±$40kHighest 43% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$1,225±$275 13% below U.S. |
$1,832±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192 66% above U.S. |
$5,099Lowest 63% above U.S. |
$5,592Highest 79% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±84.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Williston and Sullivan 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% |
4.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
20 min 25% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
4.2%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #19 of 70 in VT | — | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | — | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7 |
— | — |
| 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.