What stands out worked out from the figures below

Chittenden has the most homeowners (93.5%).

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	Chittenden	Barre
People
Population	1,318Lowest	8,412Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-1.7%Highest VT: +2.8%	-6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8%
Median age	50.8±6.3Highest 18% above VT	42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average
	Chittenden and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	13.8%±2.5Highest VT: 17.9%	13.5%±3.8Lowest VT: 17.9%
	Chittenden and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	21.8%±4Highest VT: 21.4%	19.4%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4%
	Chittenden and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	51.5%Highest VT: 43.8%	36.1%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7%	3.4%±1.9Lowest VT: 7%
	Chittenden and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$106,250±$28kHighest 31% above VT	$65,625±$7kLowest 19% below VT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$346,800±$35kHighest 10% above VT	$210,400±$15kLowest 34% below VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,125±$488Highest 9% below VT	$1,093±$58Lowest 11% below VT
	Chittenden and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,346Highest 6% above VT	$5,192Lowest 3% above VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	14.8%±55.7Lowest VT: 48.4%	34.4%±10.3Highest VT: 48.4%
	Barre and Chittenden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.6%Lowest VT: 10.1%	17.3%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	93.5%Highest VT: 73.2%	50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT	1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minHighest 21% above VT	19 minLowest 21% below VT
Work from home	15%±3.6Highest VT: 16.9%	10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9%
	Chittenden and Barre 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	Barstow Unified Union School District #49	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

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.