Compare towns
Barre vs Windsor vs Bellows Falls
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 highest household income ($66k).
Windsor has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.2%).
Bellows Falls has the most kids (22.6% under 18).
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 | Windsor | Bellows Falls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412Highest |
3,554 |
2,891Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2% VT: +2.8% |
+0.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-12.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6 about the VT average |
44.8±6.5Highest 4% above VT |
41.3±6.7Lowest 4% below VT |
| Windsor 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% |
19.5%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
22.6%±6.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Bellows Falls and 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% |
29.7%±6.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
23.7%±5.7 VT: 21.4% |
| Windsor and Bellows Falls 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% |
39.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
27.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
0.7%±0.8Lowest VT: 7% |
8.2%±4.3Highest VT: 7% |
| Bellows Falls 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±$7kHighest 19% below VT |
$52,484±$11kLowest 35% below VT |
$56,086±$2k 31% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $210,400±$15kHighest 34% below VT |
$207,500±$31k 34% below VT |
$195,600±$35kLowest 38% below VT |
| Barre and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58Highest 11% below VT |
$1,026±$89Lowest 17% below VT |
$1,038±$109 16% below VT |
| Barre and Bellows Falls 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 |
$5,209Highest 3% above VT |
$4,448Lowest 12% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3 VT: 48.4% |
31.5%±17Lowest VT: 48.4% |
43.9%±16.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Bellows Falls and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 17.3% VT: 10.1% |
7.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
25.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
57.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
50.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Highest 29 yrs older than VT |
1945 31 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 21% below VT |
23 minHighest 3% below VT |
20 min 14% below VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.3%±5 VT: 16.9% |
6.9%±5.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Barre and Windsor 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 | — |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | — | — |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.