Compare towns
Barre vs Fair Haven vs Barre
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).
Fair Haven has the most kids (19.4% under 18).
Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).
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 | Fair Haven | Barre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,005 |
2,724Lowest |
8,412Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0% VT: +2.8% |
+0.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 48.4±4.2Highest 12% above VT |
39.2±7.6Lowest 9% below VT |
42.2±6.6 about the VT average |
| Barre 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% |
19.4%±5.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Fair Haven and Barre 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% |
18.4%±4.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9 VT: 21.4% |
| Barre 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%Highest VT: 43.8% |
23.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
36.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.2Lowest VT: 7% |
4.1%±2.9Highest VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
| Fair Haven 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 |
$62,404±$16kLowest 23% below VT |
$65,625±$7k 19% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $281,400±$13kHighest 11% below VT |
$176,500±$14kLowest 44% below VT |
$210,400±$15k 34% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,524±$399Highest 24% above VT |
$830±$116Lowest 33% below VT |
$1,093±$58 11% below VT |
| Barre and Barre 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 |
$3,865Lowest 23% below VT |
$5,192Highest 3% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.4%±20.4 VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±20.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Fair Haven and Barre 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% |
18.9%Highest VT: 10.1% |
17.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.6% VT: 73.2% |
50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Highest 2 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1947 29 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 4% below VT |
31 minHighest 31% above VT |
19 minLowest 21% below VT |
| Work from home | 13.7%±4.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
4.3%±2.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
| Barre 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 | #66 of 70 in VT | #19 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center |
| High school in town | None in town | Fair Haven Union Middle and High School | Spaulding Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8Highest |
10.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.