Compare towns
Barre vs Williston vs Bolton
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%).
Bolton has the youngest population (median age 36.3).
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 | Bolton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412 |
10,144Highest |
1,163Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+16.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+10.1% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6 about the VT average |
45.4±4.5Highest 5% above VT |
36.3±1.7Lowest 16% below VT |
| Williston and Barre 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%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.9%±4 VT: 17.9% |
| Williston and Bolton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±3.9 VT: 21.4% |
21%±3.5Highest VT: 21.4% |
6.7%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Williston and Barre 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% |
54.9% VT: 43.8% |
58.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7Highest VT: 7% |
2.7%±1.8Lowest VT: 7% |
| Williston and Barre 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 |
$106,967±$12k 32% above VT |
$111,125±$17kHighest 37% above VT |
| Bolton and Williston 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 |
$475,800±$40kHighest 50% above VT |
$311,600±$42k about the VT average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58Lowest 11% below VT |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
$1,299±$273 5% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192 3% above VT |
$5,592Highest 11% above VT |
$4,826Lowest 4% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3 VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
28%±30.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Williston 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% |
4.3% VT: 10.1% |
2.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
75.1% VT: 73.2% |
81.6%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
1986 10 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 21% below VT |
20 min 16% below VT |
28 minHighest 17% above VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6 VT: 16.9% |
22.9%±8.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Bolton and Williston 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 | — |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Mount Mansfield Unified Union School District #401 |
| 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.