Compare towns
Barre vs West Windsor vs Windsor vs Berlin
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 shortest commute (19 min average).
West Windsor has grown the fastest since 2010 (+22.3%).
Windsor has the most affordable homes ($170k median).
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 | West Windsor | Windsor | Berlin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,412Highest |
1,171Lowest |
2,060 |
2,880 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+22.3%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+3.5% VT: +2.8% |
-1.3% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
54±5.9Highest 25% above VT |
44.6±12.3 3% above VT |
50.6±2.4 17% above VT |
| West Windsor and Berlin 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% |
19.8%±10 VT: 17.9% |
21.1%±8.8Highest VT: 17.9% |
16.6%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Windsor and West Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
25.5%±6.7 VT: 21.4% |
29.2%±8Highest VT: 21.4% |
26.8%±4.4 VT: 21.4% |
| Windsor and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.1% VT: 43.8% |
59.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
40% VT: 43.8% |
28.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
6.1%±3.6Highest VT: 7% |
1.2%±1.4Lowest VT: 7% |
3.9%±2.9 VT: 7% |
| West Windsor and Berlin 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 VT |
$108,750±$18kHighest 34% above VT |
$51,197±$4kLowest 37% below VT |
$86,691±$21k 7% above VT |
| West Windsor and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $210,400±$15k 34% below VT |
$393,500±$41kHighest 24% above VT |
$170,300±$22kLowest 46% below VT |
$273,600±$31k 14% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58 11% below VT |
$1,100±$217 11% below VT |
$1,002±$107Lowest 19% below VT |
$1,169±$171Highest 5% below VT |
| Berlin and West Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192 3% above VT |
$5,860Highest 16% above VT |
$4,878 3% below VT |
$4,418Lowest 12% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3 VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
31.4%±20 VT: 48.4% |
41%±19.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Berlin 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% |
3.7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
7.8% VT: 10.1% |
10.9% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
97.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
51.6% VT: 73.2% |
87.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 29 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 21% below VT |
28 minHighest 20% above VT |
22 min 6% below VT |
21 min 10% below VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
16.1%±3.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
6.6%±4.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
11.7%±3.8 VT: 16.9% |
| West Windsor 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 | — | #61 of 70 in VT | #16 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Mount Ascutney School District #86 | — | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| 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 | 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.