Compare towns
Barre vs Proctor 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 most people working from home (13.7%).
Proctor has the most kids (21.8% under 18).
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 | Proctor | Brandon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,005Highest |
1,794Lowest |
4,120 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.3% VT: +2.8% |
+4.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 48.4±4.2 12% above VT |
42.4±6.4Lowest about the VT average |
50.1±3.1Highest 16% above VT |
| Brandon and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.6%±3.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21.8%±4.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
19.2%±4.3 VT: 17.9% |
| Proctor and Brandon 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% |
22.4%±2.5Highest VT: 21.4% |
22.3%±4.1 VT: 21.4% |
| Proctor 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% |
28.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
32.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.2Lowest VT: 7% |
3.6%±1.7Highest VT: 7% |
2.5%±1.7Lowest VT: 7% |
| Proctor 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 |
$74,167±$12k 9% below VT |
$64,180±$12kLowest 21% below VT |
| Barre and Proctor 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 |
$209,900±$17kLowest 34% below VT |
$227,800±$23k 28% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,524±$399Highest 24% above VT |
$1,029±$202Lowest 17% 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 |
$4,032Lowest 20% below VT |
$4,241 16% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.4%±20.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
37.3%±16.2Lowest 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% |
16.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
14.2% 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 |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1951 25 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 4% below VT |
22 minLowest 6% below VT |
24 minHighest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 13.7%±4.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
9.4%±4.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
9.9%±5.7 VT: 16.9% |
| Barre and Brandon 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 | — | #69 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 | Quarry Valley Unified Union School District #70 | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 |
| High school in town | None in town | Proctor Junior/Senior High School | Otter Valley Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.7Lowest |
9.9Highest |
| 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.