Compare towns
Barre vs Castleton 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).
Castleton has the shortest commute (19 min average).
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 | Castleton | Williamstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,005Highest |
4,453 |
3,579Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0% VT: +2.8% |
-5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+3.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 48.4±4.2Highest 12% above VT |
38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
42±5 about the VT average |
| Barre and Williamstown 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% |
18.8%±6.4 VT: 17.9% |
19.9%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Williamstown and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.7%±3.5Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
17%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Barre and Castleton 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% |
37.9% VT: 43.8% |
17.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.2Lowest VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
4.8%±3.2 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $93,210±$9k 15% above VT |
$73,854±$23kLowest 9% below VT |
$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 |
$224,800±$71kLowest 29% below VT |
$234,900±$24k 26% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,524±$399 24% above VT |
$1,137±$195Lowest 8% 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 |
$3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$3,841 24% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.4%±20.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9 VT: 48.4% |
83.7%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Williamstown and Castleton 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% |
12.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.4% VT: 73.2% |
79%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 2 yrs older than VT |
1974Lowest 2 yrs older than VT |
1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 4% below VT |
19 minLowest 17% below VT |
23 minHighest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 13.7%±4.5 VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
13.9%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Williamstown 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 | #39 of 70 in VT | #47 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | 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 History | 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.