Compare towns
Barre vs Walpole vs Berlin 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).
Walpole has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Berlin has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.3%).
Bennington has the most people working from home (15.1%).
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 | Walpole | Berlin | Bennington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,412 |
3,690 |
2,880Lowest |
15,249Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Lowest 8% above U.S. |
46.5±10.4 20% above U.S. |
50.6±2.4Highest 30% above U.S. |
44.7±2.3 15% above U.S. |
| Berlin and Walpole 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% |
22.2%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.6%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Walpole and Bennington 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% |
25.5%±5.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.8%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Berlin and Walpole 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% |
32.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.5%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% |
4%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bennington and Walpole 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. |
$82,617±$16k about the U.S. average |
$86,691±$21kHighest 7% above U.S. |
$59,446±$7kLowest 26% below U.S. |
| Berlin and Walpole 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. |
$319,800±$48kHighest 4% below U.S. |
$273,600±$31k 18% below U.S. |
$213,300±$15k 36% below U.S. |
| Walpole and Berlin 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. |
$1,165±$150 18% below U.S. |
$1,169±$171Highest 17% below U.S. |
$1,133±$63 20% below U.S. |
| Berlin and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192 66% above U.S. |
$6,078Highest 95% above U.S. |
$4,418Lowest 42% above U.S. |
$4,513 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.6%±21.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
41%±19.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.8%±14.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bennington and Walpole 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% |
11.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 30% below U.S. |
23 minHighest 13% below U.S. |
21 min 20% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.7%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bennington and Berlin 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 | #27 of 120 in NH | #16 of 70 in VT | #58 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Fall Mountain Regional School District | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | None in town | None in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
— | — | 14.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.