Compare towns
Bethel vs Barnet vs Pawlet
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 highest household income ($76k).
Barnet has grown the fastest since 2010 (-2.6%).
Pawlet has the most people working from home (20.4%).
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 | Bethel | Barnet | Pawlet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,736 |
1,855Highest |
1,480Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-2.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.6% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 50.7±3.7Highest 18% above VT |
47.7±5.3Lowest 11% above VT |
47.9±7.5 11% above VT |
| Bethel and Pawlet 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% |
21.6%±4.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
20.3%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Barnet and Pawlet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.5%±3.7Lowest VT: 21.4% |
28.8%±3.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
27.3%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Barnet and Pawlet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.7% VT: 43.8% |
35.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
37.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.6 VT: 7% |
1%±0.9Lowest VT: 7% |
4.4%±2.9Highest VT: 7% |
| Pawlet and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $75,822±$7kHighest 7% below VT |
$67,386±$15k 17% below VT |
$62,273±$14kLowest 23% below VT |
| Bethel and Barnet 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 |
$247,900±$24k 22% below VT |
$266,200±$44kHighest 16% below VT |
| Pawlet and Barnet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,335±$220Highest 8% above VT |
$974±$72Lowest 21% below VT |
$1,153±$215 7% below VT |
| Bethel and Pawlet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,168Highest about the VT average |
$4,489 11% below VT |
$3,924Lowest 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54%±22 VT: 48.4% |
59.3%±29.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
42.6%±21.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Barnet and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
10%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.6% VT: 73.2% |
79.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
87.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 10 yrs older than VT |
1974Highest 2 yrs older than VT |
1964Lowest 12 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 19% above VT |
28 minLowest 17% above VT |
33 minHighest 40% above VT |
| Work from home | 7.1%±3.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
13.3%±4.5 VT: 16.9% |
20.4%±8.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Pawlet and Barnet 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 | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 | Mettawee School District #84 |
| 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.