Compare towns
Berlin vs Greenfield vs Barre
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Berlin has the oldest population (median age 50.6).
Greenfield has the most renters (44.3% rent).
Barre has the most people working from home (13.7%).
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 | Berlin | Greenfield | Barre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,880Lowest |
17,664Highest |
8,005 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | 0%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.6±2.4Highest 30% above U.S. |
44.6±2.1Lowest 15% above U.S. |
48.4±4.2 24% above U.S. |
| Berlin and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.6%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±1.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Greenfield and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.8%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.4%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.7%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Berlin and Greenfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
39.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.5%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Berlin and Greenfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $86,691±$21k 7% above U.S. |
$55,614±$7kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$93,210±$9kHighest 15% above U.S. |
| Barre and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $273,600±$31k 18% below U.S. |
$263,100±$16kLowest 21% below U.S. |
$281,400±$13kHighest 15% below U.S. |
| Barre and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,169±$171 17% below U.S. |
$1,107±$67Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,524±$399Highest 8% above U.S. |
| Barre and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,418Lowest 42% above U.S. |
$4,769Highest 53% above U.S. |
$4,737 52% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41%±19.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
63.2%±7.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.4%±20.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Greenfield and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
15.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
55.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 20% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 34% below U.S. |
23 minHighest 15% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.7%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.9%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.7%±4.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Barre and Greenfield 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 | #16 of 70 in VT | #257 of 282 in MA | #19 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Greenfield | Barre Unified Union School District #97 |
| High school in town | None in town | Greenfield High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.9 |
— |
| 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.