Compare towns
Burke vs Barre vs Kirby
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Burke has the highest household income ($87k).
Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).
Kirby has the most kids (30% under 18).
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 | Burke | Barre | Kirby |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,317 |
8,412Highest |
756Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 41.1±4.8 5% below VT |
42.2±6.6Highest about the VT average |
38.8±7.1Lowest 10% below VT |
| Barre and Burke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23%±4 VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
30%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Kirby and Burke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.7%±2.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9 VT: 21.4% |
19.2%±5.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Burke and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
36.1% VT: 43.8% |
32.4%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±2.3 VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
4.6%±3.1Highest VT: 7% |
| Kirby and Burke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $87,143±$17kHighest 7% above VT |
$65,625±$7k 19% below VT |
$54,792±$21kLowest 33% below VT |
| Burke and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $340,600±$18kHighest 8% above VT |
$210,400±$15kLowest 34% below VT |
$302,900±$63k 4% below VT |
| Burke and Kirby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $938±$191Lowest 24% below VT |
$1,093±$58 11% below VT |
$1,250±$326Highest about the VT average |
| Kirby and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,177 about the VT average |
$5,192Highest 3% above VT |
$4,597Lowest 9% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 74.6%±31Highest VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3 VT: 48.4% |
25%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Burke and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
17.3% VT: 10.1% |
21.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.6% VT: 73.2% |
50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
93.5%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 5 yrs newer than VT |
1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1985Highest 9 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 8% above VT |
19 minLowest 21% below VT |
34 minHighest 43% above VT |
| Work from home | 23.4%±6.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
20.6%±9.3 VT: 16.9% |
| Burke and Kirby 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 | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Spaulding Union High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7 |
— |
| 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.