Compare towns
Barre vs Bennington 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (0%).
Bennington has the most renters (41.6% rent).
Berlin has the oldest population (median age 50.6).
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 | Bennington | Berlin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,005 |
15,249Highest |
2,880Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-2.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-1.3% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 48.4±4.2 12% above VT |
44.7±2.3Lowest 4% above VT |
50.6±2.4Highest 17% above VT |
| Berlin and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.6%±3.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
16.6%±4.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Bennington and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.7%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8 VT: 21.4% |
26.8%±4.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Berlin and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
36.9% VT: 43.8% |
28.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.2Lowest VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
3.9%±2.9 VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $93,210±$9kHighest 15% above VT |
$59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
$86,691±$21k 7% above VT |
| Barre and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $281,400±$13kHighest 11% below VT |
$213,300±$15kLowest 33% below VT |
$273,600±$31k 14% below VT |
| Barre and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,524±$399Highest 24% above VT |
$1,133±$63Lowest 8% below VT |
$1,169±$171 5% below VT |
| Barre and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,737Highest 6% below VT |
$4,513 10% below VT |
$4,418Lowest 12% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.4%±20.4 VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
41%±19.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
13.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
10.9% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
87.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1961Lowest 15 yrs older than VT |
1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minHighest 4% below VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
21 min 10% below VT |
| Work from home | 13.7%±4.5 VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
11.7%±3.8Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Bennington and Barre 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 | #58 of 70 in VT | #16 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | None in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.7 |
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| 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.