Compare towns
Barre vs Putney 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (0%).
Putney has the most people working from home (16.9%).
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 | Putney | Barre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,005 |
2,622Lowest |
8,412Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.1% VT: +2.8% |
-6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 48.4±4.2Highest 12% above VT |
37.2±5.2Lowest 14% 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%±3.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
15.4%±4.1 VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Barre and Putney 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% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest 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% VT: 43.8% |
48.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
36.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.2Lowest VT: 7% |
20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $93,210±$9kHighest 15% above VT |
$79,706±$18k about the VT average |
$65,625±$7kLowest 19% below VT |
| Barre and Putney 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 |
$300,000±$44kHighest 5% below VT |
$210,400±$15kLowest 34% below VT |
| Putney and Barre 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 |
$508±$482Lowest 59% 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 | $4,737Lowest 6% below VT |
$5,313Highest 5% above VT |
$5,192 3% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.4%±20.4 VT: 48.4% |
54.2%±19.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Putney 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% |
16% VT: 10.1% |
17.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
72.8% VT: 73.2% |
50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minHighest 4% below VT |
18 minLowest 24% below VT |
19 min 21% below VT |
| Work from home | 13.7%±4.5 VT: 16.9% |
16.9%±6.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Putney 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 | #32 of 70 in VT | #19 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Spaulding Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.7 |
| 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.