What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bridgewater has the most homeowners (85.4%).

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	Bridgewater	Barre
People
Population	980Lowest	8,412Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-3.5%Highest VT: +2.8%	-6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8%
Median age	57.1±8Highest 32% above VT	42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average
Kids under 18	12.8%±5.8Lowest VT: 17.9%	13.5%±3.8Highest VT: 17.9%
	Barre and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	30.2%±0.7Highest VT: 21.4%	19.4%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	40.3%Highest VT: 43.8%	36.1%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.8%±3.8Highest VT: 7%	3.4%±1.9Lowest VT: 7%
	Bridgewater and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$70,272±$3kHighest 13% below VT	$65,625±$7kLowest 19% below VT
	Bridgewater and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$218,300±$55kHighest 31% below VT	$210,400±$15kLowest 34% below VT
	Bridgewater and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$850±$778Lowest 31% below VT	$1,093±$58Highest 11% below VT
	Barre and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,418Lowest 32% below VT	$5,192Highest 3% above VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	59.7%±39.1Highest VT: 48.4%	34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4%
	Bridgewater and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	14.8%Lowest VT: 10.1%	17.3%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	85.4%Highest VT: 73.2%	50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Highest same as VT	1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minHighest about the VT average	19 minLowest 21% below VT
Work from home	10.5%±6.6 VT: 16.9%	10.5%±4.1 VT: 16.9%
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
High school in town	—	Spaulding Union High School
Students per teacherat that high school	—	10.7
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.