Compare towns
Barre vs Williston vs Bennington vs St. Johnsbury
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 renters (49.6% rent).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
Bennington has the shortest commute (17 min average).
St. Johnsbury has the most affordable homes ($178k 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 | Williston | Bennington | St. Johnsbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,412 |
10,144 |
15,249Highest |
7,368Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+16.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-2.7% VT: +2.8% |
-3.1% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
45.4±4.5Highest 5% above VT |
44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
42.8±3.8 about the VT average |
| Williston and Bennington 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% |
20.5%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3 VT: 17.9% |
21%±2.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
| St. Johnsbury and Williston 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% |
21%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Bennington and St. Johnsbury 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% |
54.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
36.9% VT: 43.8% |
30.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7 VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
5.6%±2.2 VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Williston 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 |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above VT |
$59,446±$7k 27% below VT |
$57,738±$9kLowest 29% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $210,400±$15k 34% below VT |
$475,800±$40kHighest 50% above VT |
$213,300±$15k 33% below VT |
$177,700±$17kLowest 44% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58 11% below VT |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
$1,133±$63 8% below VT |
$914±$44Lowest 26% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192 3% above VT |
$5,592Highest 11% above VT |
$4,513 10% below VT |
$3,916Lowest 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4 VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
48%±11 VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and St. Johnsbury 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% |
4.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
13.2% VT: 10.1% |
16.8% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
75.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
58.4% VT: 73.2% |
59.6% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 29 yrs older than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
1961 15 yrs older than VT |
1944Lowest 32 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 21% below VT |
20 minHighest 16% below VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
20 min 17% below VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
17.6%±4.8 VT: 16.9% |
| Williston and St. Johnsbury 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 | #11 of 70 in VT | #58 of 70 in VT | #60 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | — |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | 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 |
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.