Compare towns
Barre vs Chester vs Middlesex
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).
Chester has the most affordable homes ($233k median).
Middlesex has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.8%).
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 | Middlesex |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,005Highest |
2,992 |
1,943Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0% VT: +2.8% |
-4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+2.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 48.4±4.2 12% above VT |
49.7±4.7Highest 15% above VT |
44.4±3.9Lowest 3% above VT |
| Chester and Barre 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% |
21.3%±3.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Middlesex 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% |
29.8%±7.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.6%±3.7Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Chester and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.2% VT: 43.8% |
33.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
54.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.2Lowest VT: 7% |
5.1%±4 VT: 7% |
5.2%±2.6Highest VT: 7% |
| Middlesex and Chester 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 |
$62,125±$8kLowest 23% below VT |
$109,632±$13kHighest 35% above VT |
| Middlesex 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±$13k 11% below VT |
$232,900±$44kLowest 26% below VT |
$376,300±$40kHighest 19% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,524±$399Highest 24% above VT |
$960±$44Lowest 22% below VT |
$1,333±$359 8% above VT |
| Barre and Middlesex 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 |
$4,262Lowest 15% below VT |
$6,483Highest 29% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.4%±20.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
11.5%±12.3 VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Barre and Chester 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%Highest VT: 10.1% |
3.8% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.4% VT: 73.2% |
86.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
96.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 4% below VT |
28 minHighest 18% above VT |
27 min 17% above VT |
| Work from home | 13.7%±4.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
14%±6.9 VT: 16.9% |
28.4%±10.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Middlesex and Chester 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 | — |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | None in town | Green Mountain Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.7 |
— |
| 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.