What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bethlehem has the most people working from home (31.2%).

Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Bethlehem	Barre
People
Population	2,537Lowest	8,412Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-1.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	-6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	50.6±8.5Highest 30% above U.S.	42.2±6.6Lowest 8% above U.S.
	Bethlehem and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	17.7%±5.4Highest U.S.: 22%	13.5%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Bethlehem and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	28.2%±5.5Highest U.S.: 17.2%	19.4%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Bethlehem and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	45.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	36.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	0.9%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	3.4%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Barre and Bethlehem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$85,029±$18kHighest 5% above U.S.	$65,625±$7kLowest 19% below U.S.
	Bethlehem and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$288,300±$22kHighest 13% below U.S.	$210,400±$15kLowest 37% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,174±$81Highest 17% below U.S.	$1,093±$58Lowest 23% below U.S.
	Bethlehem and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,418Highest 74% above U.S.	$5,192Lowest 66% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	41.3%±18.3Highest U.S.: 51.1%	34.4%±10.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Bethlehem and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	10.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	17.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	75.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	50.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1973Highest 7 yrs older than U.S.	1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	20 minHighest 23% below U.S.	19 minLowest 30% below U.S.
Work from home	31.2%±12.9Highest U.S.: 15.1%	10.5%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#34 of 120 in NH	#19 of 70 in VT
School district	Bethlehem School District · Profile School District	Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center
High school in town	Profile Senior High School	Spaulding Union High School
Students per teacherat that high school	8.9Lowest	10.7Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.