Compare towns
Barre vs Braintree vs Milton
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 shortest commute (23 min average).
Braintree has the most people working from home (19%).
Milton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.6%).
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 | Braintree | Milton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,005 |
1,026Lowest |
10,769Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0% VT: +2.8% |
-3.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+3.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 48.4±4.2 12% above VT |
58.4±2.4Highest 35% above VT |
41.6±2.5Lowest 3% below VT |
| Kids under 18 | 16.6%±3.3 VT: 17.9% |
12.3%±3.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.6%±3.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Milton and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.7%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
33.2%±3.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
16%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
30.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
33.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.2 VT: 7% |
1.8%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
3.5%±1.3Highest VT: 7% |
| Milton and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $93,210±$9k 15% above VT |
$79,803±$5kLowest about the VT average |
$118,977±$10kHighest 47% above VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $281,400±$13k 11% below VT |
$217,700±$28kLowest 31% below VT |
$372,500±$20kHighest 18% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,524±$399 24% above VT |
$840±$405Lowest 32% below VT |
$1,536±$257Highest 24% above VT |
| Milton and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,737 6% below VT |
$3,908Lowest 22% below VT |
$5,610Highest 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.4%±20.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
43.4%±29.4 VT: 48.4% |
53.1%±20.6Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Milton and Braintree 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%Highest VT: 10.1% |
3.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
81%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
86.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 2 yrs older than VT |
1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
1985Highest 9 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 4% below VT |
26 min 11% above VT |
28 minHighest 18% above VT |
| Work from home | 13.7%±4.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
19%±7.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
14.6%±2.9 VT: 16.9% |
| Braintree and Milton 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 | — | #56 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Milton School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Milton Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.3 |
| 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.