Compare towns
Barre vs Braintree vs Williamstown
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%).
Williamstown has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.7%).
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 | Williamstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,005Highest |
1,026Lowest |
3,579 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0% VT: +2.8% |
-3.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+3.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 48.4±4.2 12% above VT |
58.4±2.4Highest 35% above VT |
42±5Lowest about the VT average |
| Kids under 18 | 16.6%±3.3 VT: 17.9% |
12.3%±3.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
19.9%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Williamstown 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% |
17%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
30.9% VT: 43.8% |
17.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.2 VT: 7% |
1.8%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
4.8%±3.2Highest VT: 7% |
| Williamstown 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 |
$94,418±$10kHighest 16% above VT |
| Williamstown and Barre 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 |
$234,900±$24k 26% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,524±$399 24% above VT |
$840±$405Lowest 32% below VT |
$1,659±$189Highest 34% above VT |
| Williamstown and Barre 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 |
$3,908 22% below VT |
$3,841Lowest 24% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.4%±20.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
43.4%±29.4 VT: 48.4% |
83.7%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Williamstown 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% |
8.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.4% VT: 73.2% |
81%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 2 yrs older than VT |
1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 4% below VT |
26 minHighest 11% above VT |
23 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 13.7%±4.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
19%±7.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
13.9%±6.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Braintree and Williamstown 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 | — | #47 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Williamstown Middle/High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.5 |
| 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.