What stands out worked out from the figures below

Barton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.2%).

Whitingham has the most expensive homes ($262k median).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Barton	Whitingham
People
Population	2,815Highest	1,368Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.2%Highest VT: +2.8%	-1%Lowest VT: +2.8%
Median age	44.9±6.5Lowest 4% above VT	46.4±7.1Highest 8% above VT
	Whitingham and Barton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20.7%±3.8Highest VT: 17.9%	19.8%±4.5Lowest VT: 17.9%
	Barton and Whitingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	23.5%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4%	31.1%±2.3Highest VT: 21.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	32.7%Lowest VT: 43.8%	32.8%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.9%±1.5Highest VT: 7%	2.2%±1.9Lowest VT: 7%
	Barton and Whitingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$66,250±$16kLowest 18% below VT	$70,625±$11kHighest 13% below VT
	Whitingham and Barton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$201,200±$28kLowest 36% below VT	$262,300±$30kHighest 17% below VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$793±$70Highest 36% below VT	$673±$150Lowest 45% below VT
	Barton and Whitingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,355Lowest 33% below VT	$5,055Highest about the VT average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	39.6%±12.5Lowest VT: 48.4%	62.7%±47.3Highest VT: 48.4%
	Whitingham and Barton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	10.2%Lowest VT: 10.1%	15.5%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	73.9%Lowest VT: 73.2%	85.2%Highest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1966Lowest 10 yrs older than VT	1974Highest 2 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	35 minLowest 50% above VT	38 minHighest 62% above VT
Work from home	13.4%±5.7Highest VT: 16.9%	9.7%±5.2Lowest VT: 16.9%
	Barton and Whitingham 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	#38 of 70 in VT	—
School district	Lake Region Union Elementary Middle School District · Lake Region Union High School District #24	Twin Valley Unified School District #75
High school in town	Lake Region Union High School	Twin Valley Middle High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.5Highest	7.8Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.