Compare towns
Barre vs Braintree vs Brandon
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 expensive homes ($281k median).
Braintree has the most people working from home (19%).
Brandon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.1%).
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 | Braintree | Brandon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,005Highest |
1,026Lowest |
4,120 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0% VT: +2.8% |
-3.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+4.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 48.4±4.2Lowest 12% above VT |
58.4±2.4Highest 35% above VT |
50.1±3.1 16% above VT |
| Kids under 18 | 16.6%±3.3 VT: 17.9% |
12.3%±3.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
19.2%±4.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Brandon 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% |
33.2%±3.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
22.3%±4.1 VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
30.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
32.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.2Highest VT: 7% |
1.8%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
2.5%±1.7Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $93,210±$9kHighest 15% above VT |
$79,803±$5k about the VT average |
$64,180±$12kLowest 21% below VT |
| Barre and Braintree 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 |
$217,700±$28kLowest 31% below VT |
$227,800±$23k 28% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,524±$399Highest 24% above VT |
$840±$405Lowest 32% below VT |
$1,064±$225 14% below VT |
| Barre and Brandon 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 |
$3,908Lowest 22% below VT |
$4,241 16% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.4%±20.4 VT: 48.4% |
43.4%±29.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
41.7%±15.1Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Braintree 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% |
11.1% VT: 10.1% |
14.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
81%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
84.3% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
1951Lowest 25 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 4% below VT |
26 minHighest 11% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 13.7%±4.5 VT: 16.9% |
19%±7.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
9.9%±5.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Braintree 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 | — | #69 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Otter Valley Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.9 |
| 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.