Compare towns
Barre vs Dummerston 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 oldest population (median age 48.4).
Dummerston has the most people working from home (25.9%).
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 | Dummerston | Williamstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,005Highest |
2,090Lowest |
3,579 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+0.1% VT: +2.8% |
+3.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 48.4±4.2Highest 12% above VT |
45.6±11.7 6% above VT |
42±5Lowest about the VT average |
| Barre and Dummerston 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% |
21.7%±6Highest VT: 17.9% |
19.9%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Dummerston and Williamstown 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% |
24.3%±3Highest VT: 21.4% |
17%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Dummerston 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% |
58.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
17.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.2 VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest 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±$9kLowest 15% above VT |
$101,696±$21kHighest 25% above VT |
$94,418±$10k 16% above VT |
| Dummerston and Williamstown 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 |
$335,300±$22kHighest 6% above VT |
$234,900±$24kLowest 26% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,524±$399 24% above VT |
$1,392±$126Lowest 13% above 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 |
$4,536 10% below VT |
$3,841Lowest 24% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.4%±20.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
44.1%±32.2 VT: 48.4% |
83.7%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Williamstown and Dummerston 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% |
4.5% VT: 10.1% |
8.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
90.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1971Lowest 5 yrs older than VT |
1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 4% below VT |
21 minLowest 11% below VT |
23 minHighest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 13.7%±4.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
25.9%±10.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
13.9%±6.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Dummerston 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 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | 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.