Compare towns
Barre vs Windham vs Middlesex vs South Barre
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).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
South Barre has the shortest commute (15 min average).
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 | Windham | Middlesex | South Barre |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,412Highest |
594Lowest |
1,943 |
1,346 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | +2.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-2.1% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
44.2±7.4 about the VT average |
44.4±3.9 3% above VT |
52.7±2.6Highest 22% above VT |
| Kids under 18 | 13.5%±3.8 VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9 VT: 17.9% |
21.3%±3.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
9.9%±5.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Middlesex and Windham 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% |
23.2%±8.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.6%±3.7 VT: 21.4% |
11.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Windham and Middlesex 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% |
48.1% VT: 43.8% |
54.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
34.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
5.2%±2.6Highest VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.5Lowest VT: 7% |
| Middlesex 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 |
$94,500±$12k 16% above VT |
$109,632±$13kHighest 35% above VT |
$78,050±$16k 4% below VT |
| Middlesex and Windham 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 |
$353,900±$20k 12% above VT |
$376,300±$40kHighest 19% above VT |
$257,600±$25k 19% below VT |
| Middlesex and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58Lowest 11% below VT |
— | $1,333±$359 8% above VT |
$1,609±$371Highest 30% above VT |
| South Barre and Middlesex 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 |
$5,951 18% above VT |
$6,483Highest 29% above VT |
$4,750Lowest 6% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3 VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94Highest VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
36.1%±40.7 VT: 48.4% |
| Windham and South 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% |
9.9% VT: 10.1% |
3.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
7.4% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
82.9% VT: 73.2% |
96.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
82.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1982 6 yrs newer than VT |
1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
1969 7 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 21% below VT |
27 min 14% above VT |
27 minHighest 17% above VT |
15 minLowest 36% below VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
28.4%±10.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.5%±10.5 VT: 16.9% |
| Middlesex and Windham 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 | — | — | — |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | — | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | — |
| 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 | 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.