Compare towns
Barre vs Chester 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 highest household income ($93k).
Chester has the most people working from home (14%).
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 | Chester | Brandon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,005Highest |
2,992Lowest |
4,120 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0% VT: +2.8% |
-4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+4.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 48.4±4.2Lowest 12% above VT |
49.7±4.7 15% above VT |
50.1±3.1Highest 16% above VT |
| Brandon and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.6%±3.3 VT: 17.9% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest 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% |
29.8%±7.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
22.3%±4.1 VT: 21.4% |
| Chester and Brandon 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% |
33.1% VT: 43.8% |
32.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.2Lowest VT: 7% |
5.1%±4Highest VT: 7% |
2.5%±1.7Lowest VT: 7% |
| Chester 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±$9kHighest 15% above VT |
$62,125±$8kLowest 23% below VT |
$64,180±$12k 21% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $281,400±$13kHighest 11% below VT |
$232,900±$44k 26% below VT |
$227,800±$23kLowest 28% below VT |
| Barre and Chester 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 |
$960±$44Lowest 22% 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 |
$4,262 15% below VT |
$4,241Lowest 16% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.4%±20.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
11.5%±12.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
41.7%±15.1 VT: 48.4% |
| Barre and Brandon 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% |
7% VT: 10.1% |
14.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
86.7% VT: 73.2% |
84.3%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Highest 2 yrs older than VT |
1972 4 yrs older than VT |
1951Lowest 25 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 4% below VT |
28 minHighest 18% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 13.7%±4.5 VT: 16.9% |
14%±6.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
9.9%±5.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Chester 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 | #49 of 70 in VT | #69 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 |
| High school in town | None in town | Green Mountain Union High School | Otter Valley Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.7Lowest |
9.9Highest |
| 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.