Compare towns
Barre vs Williamstown vs Windsor
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 expensive homes ($281k median).
Williamstown has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.7%).
Windsor has the most renters (42.2% 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 | Williamstown | Windsor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,005Highest |
3,579 |
3,554Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+3.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+0.2% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 48.4±4.2Highest 12% above VT |
42±5Lowest about the VT average |
44.8±6.5 4% above VT |
| Barre and Windsor 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% |
19.9%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
19.5%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Williamstown and Windsor 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% |
17%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.7%±6.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Windsor 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% |
17.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
39.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.2 VT: 7% |
4.8%±3.2Highest VT: 7% |
0.7%±0.8Lowest 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±$9k 15% above VT |
$94,418±$10kHighest 16% above VT |
$52,484±$11kLowest 35% below VT |
| Williamstown 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±$13kHighest 11% below VT |
$234,900±$24k 26% below VT |
$207,500±$31kLowest 34% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,524±$399 24% above VT |
$1,659±$189Highest 34% above VT |
$1,026±$89Lowest 17% below VT |
| Williamstown and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,737 6% below VT |
$3,841Lowest 24% below VT |
$5,209Highest 3% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.4%±20.4 VT: 48.4% |
83.7%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
31.5%±17Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Williamstown 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% |
8.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7.8% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.4% VT: 73.2% |
90.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
57.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
1945Lowest 31 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 4% below VT |
23 minHighest about the VT average |
23 min 3% below VT |
| Work from home | 13.7%±4.5 VT: 16.9% |
13.9%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.3%±5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Williamstown 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 | #47 of 70 in VT | #61 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 | — |
| High school 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.