Compare towns
Coventry vs Barre vs Sheffield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Coventry has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.3%).
Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).
Sheffield has the most affordable homes ($172k median).
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 | Coventry | Barre | Sheffield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 917 |
8,412Highest |
573Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.3%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.2±5.2Highest 5% above VT |
42.2±6.6 about the VT average |
42±8Lowest about the VT average |
| Coventry and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.2%±4.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.1%±6.6 VT: 17.9% |
| Coventry and Sheffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.5%±3.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9 VT: 21.4% |
19.2%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Coventry and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
36.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
27.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±3.5 VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
5.9%±4.7Highest VT: 7% |
| Sheffield and Coventry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,342±$3k 27% below VT |
$65,625±$7kHighest 19% below VT |
$58,333±$26kLowest 28% below VT |
| Barre and Coventry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $197,900±$55k 37% below VT |
$210,400±$15kHighest 34% below VT |
$171,900±$50kLowest 46% below VT |
| Barre and Coventry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $755±$108Lowest 39% below VT |
$1,093±$58Highest 11% below VT |
$967±$79 22% below VT |
| Barre and Sheffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,375 53% below VT |
$5,192Highest 3% above VT |
$2,123Lowest 58% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 1.5%±27.7Lowest VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3 VT: 48.4% |
61.5%±41.2Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Sheffield and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 19.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
17.3% VT: 10.1% |
6.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.8% VT: 73.2% |
50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
83.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1987 11 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 53% above VT |
19 minLowest 21% below VT |
30 min 28% above VT |
| Work from home | 8.6%±3.7 VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
6.1%±2.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Barre and Coventry 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 | Coventry School District | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 |
| High school in town | None 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 |
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.