Compare towns
Barre vs Randolph vs Williston
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 homeowners (88.4%).
Randolph has the youngest population (median age 40.4).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
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 | Randolph | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,005 |
4,843Lowest |
10,144Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0% VT: +2.8% |
-0.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+16.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 48.4±4.2Highest 12% above VT |
40.4±7.4Lowest 6% below VT |
45.4±4.5 5% above VT |
| Barre and Williston 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% |
17.3%±4.4 VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Williston and Randolph 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% |
22.9%±4.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
21%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Randolph 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%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
40.8% VT: 43.8% |
54.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.2Lowest VT: 7% |
11.2%±2.5Highest VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $93,210±$9k 15% above VT |
$76,758±$6kLowest 5% below VT |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above VT |
| Williston 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 |
$278,700±$38kLowest 12% below VT |
$475,800±$40kHighest 50% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,524±$399 24% above VT |
$1,172±$173Lowest 5% below VT |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
| Williston 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 |
$4,698Lowest 7% below VT |
$5,592Highest 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.4%±20.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
54.1%±17.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4 VT: 48.4% |
| Randolph and Williston 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% |
7.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
4.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
67.2%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
75.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1971Lowest 5 yrs older than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minHighest 4% below VT |
21 min 12% below VT |
20 minLowest 16% below VT |
| Work from home | 13.7%±4.5 VT: 16.9% |
12.9%±4.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Williston 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 | #55 of 70 in VT | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| High school in town | None in town | Randolph Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.4 |
— |
| 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.