Compare towns
Bloomfield vs Barre vs Stratford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bloomfield has the most kids (27.4% under 18).
Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).
Stratford has the oldest population (median age 49.8).
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 | Bloomfield | Barre | Stratford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 234Lowest |
8,412Highest |
950 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -6.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-11.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.9±12Lowest 8% above U.S. |
42.2±6.6 8% above U.S. |
49.8±16.8Highest 28% above U.S. |
| Stratford and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 27.4%±14.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.4%±7.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Bloomfield and Stratford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.4%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.1%±9.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bloomfield and Stratford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
16.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±2.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Barre and Stratford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $54,375±$17k 33% below U.S. |
$65,625±$7kHighest 19% below U.S. |
$49,583±$14kLowest 39% below U.S. |
| Barre and Bloomfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $190,600±$63k 43% below U.S. |
$210,400±$15kHighest 37% below U.S. |
$161,100±$48kLowest 52% below U.S. |
| Barre and Bloomfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,093±$58Highest 23% below U.S. |
$775±$264Lowest 45% below U.S. |
| Barre and Stratford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,800 10% below U.S. |
$5,192Highest 66% above U.S. |
$2,512Lowest 19% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | — | 34.4%±10.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64%±53.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Stratford and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
17.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
23.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
50.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
23 min 15% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 4.6%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.4%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Barre and Stratford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #19 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Stratford School District |
| High school in town | — | Spaulding Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7 |
— |
| 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.