Compare towns
Berwick vs Barre vs Sidney
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Berwick has the most people working from home (20.2%).
Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
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 | Berwick | Barre | Sidney |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,175 |
8,412Highest |
4,790Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.7±2.9Lowest 5% above U.S. |
42.2±6.6 8% above U.S. |
43±5.5Highest 11% above U.S. |
| Sidney and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.7%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.1%±5.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Sidney and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.2%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.4%±3.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Barre and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Berwick and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,771±$24kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$65,625±$7kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$83,488±$10k 3% above U.S. |
| Berwick and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $369,100±$19kHighest 11% above U.S. |
$210,400±$15kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$336,200±$34k about the U.S. average |
| Berwick and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,452±$430Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,093±$58Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$1,340±$304 5% below U.S. |
| Berwick and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,436 42% above U.S. |
$5,192Highest 66% above U.S. |
$2,474Lowest 21% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.6%±46Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
34.4%±10.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Berwick and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
17.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
50.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 12% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.2%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.3%±5.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Berwick and Sidney 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 | #101 of 133 in ME | #19 of 70 in VT | #15 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 60/MSAD 60 | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | RSU 18 |
| High school in town | None in town | Spaulding Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.