Compare towns
Bath vs Barre vs West Bath
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bath has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3%).
Barre has the most affordable homes ($210k median).
West Bath has the highest household income ($103k).
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 | Bath | Barre | West Bath |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,815Highest |
8,412 |
1,863Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.4±3 17% above U.S. |
42.2±6.6Lowest 8% above U.S. |
54.2±5.6Highest 39% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Bath and West Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.4%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.4%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| West Bath and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bath and West Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $69,390±$12k 14% below U.S. |
$65,625±$7kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$103,333±$27kHighest 28% above U.S. |
| West Bath and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $310,900±$30k 7% below U.S. |
$210,400±$15kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$422,800±$102kHighest 27% above U.S. |
| West Bath and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,093±$58 23% below U.S. |
$1,112±$327Highest 21% below U.S. |
| West Bath and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847 23% above U.S. |
$5,192Highest 66% above U.S. |
$3,516Lowest 13% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
34.4%±10.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.1%±26.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bath and West Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
17.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
50.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1947 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest 9% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
21 min 22% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.1%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bath and West Bath 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 | #31 of 133 in ME | #19 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | West Bath Public Schools |
| High school in town | Morse High School | Spaulding Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
10.7Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.