Compare towns
Bethel vs Barnard vs Sharon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bethel has the most affordable homes ($238k median).
Barnard has the most people working from home (19.3%).
Sharon has the shortest commute (26 min average).
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 | Bethel | Barnard | Sharon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,736Highest |
1,211Lowest |
1,577 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+4.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+3.9% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 50.7±3.7Highest 18% above VT |
42.4±6Lowest about the VT average |
45.6±7.7 6% above VT |
| Bethel and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 11.4%±3.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
26.9%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
21%±5 VT: 17.9% |
| Barnard and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.5%±3.7Highest VT: 21.4% |
22%±3.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
25.1%±3.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Bethel and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
55.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
37.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
2.4%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
1.5%±0.9 VT: 7% |
| Barnard and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $75,822±$7kLowest 7% below VT |
$97,581±$19kHighest 20% above VT |
$84,375±$17k 4% above VT |
| Barnard and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $238,000±$41kLowest 25% below VT |
$402,600±$71kHighest 27% above VT |
$346,700±$37k 10% above VT |
| Barnard and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,335±$220Lowest 8% above VT |
$1,372±$80 11% above VT |
$1,386±$155Highest 12% above VT |
| Sharon and Barnard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,168Lowest about the VT average |
$6,038Highest 20% above VT |
$5,903 17% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54%±22Highest VT: 48.4% |
27%±19.8 VT: 48.4% |
19.8%±17.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Bethel and Barnard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
2.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.6% VT: 73.2% |
85.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 10 yrs older than VT |
1971 5 yrs older than VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 19% above VT |
29 minHighest 21% above VT |
26 minLowest 12% above VT |
| Work from home | 7.1%±3.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
19.3%±10.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
12.7%±3.7 VT: 16.9% |
| Barnard and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | White River Unified School District #79 | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Sharon School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.