Compare towns
Bethel vs Ryegate vs Barnet
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).
Ryegate has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.8%).
Barnet has the most people working from home (13.3%).
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 | Ryegate | Barnet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,736 |
1,059Lowest |
1,855Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-2.6% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 50.7±3.7Highest 18% above VT |
41.2±2.6Lowest 4% below VT |
47.7±5.3 11% above VT |
| Bethel and Barnet 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% |
23.2%±4.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
21.6%±4.9 VT: 17.9% |
| Ryegate and Barnet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.5%±3.7 VT: 21.4% |
22.1%±1.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
28.8%±3.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Barnet and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
29.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
35.6% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.6 VT: 7% |
2.4%±1.4Highest VT: 7% |
1%±0.9Lowest VT: 7% |
| Ryegate 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 |
$66,484±$15kLowest 18% below VT |
$67,386±$15k 17% 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±$41k 25% below VT |
$219,300±$32kLowest 31% below VT |
$247,900±$24kHighest 22% below VT |
| Barnet and Bethel 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 |
$908±$236Lowest 26% below VT |
$974±$72 21% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,168Highest about the VT average |
$3,472Lowest 31% below VT |
$4,489 11% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54%±22Lowest VT: 48.4% |
55.9%±29.7 VT: 48.4% |
59.3%±29.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Barnet and Ryegate 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% |
14.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.6% VT: 73.2% |
84.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 10 yrs older than VT |
1949Lowest 27 yrs older than VT |
1974Highest 2 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 19% above VT |
28 min 18% above VT |
28 minLowest 17% above VT |
| Work from home | 7.1%±3.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
8.2%±3.7 VT: 16.9% |
13.3%±4.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Barnet and Ryegate 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 |
| High school 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.