Compare towns
Bolton vs Barre vs Arlington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bolton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.1%).
Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).
Arlington has the most people working from home (35.9%).
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 | Bolton | Barre | Arlington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,163Lowest |
8,412Highest |
2,598 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+6% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 36.3±1.7Lowest 16% below VT |
42.2±6.6Highest about the VT average |
37.6±4 13% below VT |
| Barre and Arlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.9%±4 VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Arlington and Bolton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 6.7%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9 VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±3.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Arlington and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 58.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
36.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
55.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.8Lowest VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9Highest VT: 7% |
3.3%±1.7 VT: 7% |
| Barre and Arlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $111,125±$17kHighest 37% above VT |
$65,625±$7kLowest 19% below VT |
$102,308±$11k 26% above VT |
| Bolton and Arlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $311,600±$42k about the VT average |
$210,400±$15kLowest 34% below VT |
$318,500±$59kHighest about the VT average |
| Arlington and Bolton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,299±$273Highest 5% above VT |
$1,093±$58Lowest 11% below VT |
$1,191±$172 3% below VT |
| Bolton and Arlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,826 4% below VT |
$5,192Highest 3% above VT |
$4,549Lowest 10% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 28%±30.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3 VT: 48.4% |
77.1%±9.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 2.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
17.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7.5% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.6% VT: 73.2% |
50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
84%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1966 10 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 17% above VT |
19 minLowest 21% below VT |
20 min 13% below VT |
| Work from home | 22.9%±8.2 VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
35.9%±10.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Arlington and Bolton 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 | #50 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Mount Mansfield Unified Union School District #401 | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Arlington School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Spaulding Union High School | Arlington Memorial |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7Highest |
10.6Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.