Compare towns
Bethlehem vs Barre vs Orford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
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).
Orford has grown the fastest since 2010 (0%).
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 | Bethlehem | Barre | Orford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,537 |
8,412Highest |
1,295Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
0%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.6±8.5Highest 30% above U.S. |
42.2±6.6Lowest 8% above U.S. |
48.9±3.3 26% above U.S. |
| Bethlehem and Orford 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%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
12.3%±3.1Lowest 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% |
25.5%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bethlehem and Orford 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% |
44% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Orford and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $85,029±$18k 5% above U.S. |
$65,625±$7kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$92,571±$24kHighest 15% above U.S. |
| Orford and Bethlehem 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. |
$271,900±$25k 18% below U.S. |
| Bethlehem and Orford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,174±$81 17% below U.S. |
$1,093±$58Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$1,263±$686Highest 11% below U.S. |
| Orford and Bethlehem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,418 74% above U.S. |
$5,192Lowest 66% above U.S. |
$5,836Highest 87% 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% |
37.8%±10.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bethlehem and Orford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
17.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
50.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Highest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 23% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
26 minHighest 3% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 31.2%±12.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.8%±4.7 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 | Rivendell Interstate School District |
| High school in town | Profile Senior High School | Spaulding Union High School | Rivendell Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.9Lowest |
10.7Highest |
9.5 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.