What stands out worked out from the figures below

Dayton has the most people working from home (13.6%).

Barre has the shortest commute (21 min average).

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	Dayton	Barre
People
Population	1,829Lowest	1,910Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-10.4%Lowest NY: +4.2%	-9%Highest NY: +4.2%
Median age	44.2±5.5Lowest 11% above NY	45.2±6.7Highest 14% above NY
	Barre and Dayton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	23.7%±3.9Lowest NY: 20.5%	24.4%±4.8Highest NY: 20.5%
	Barre and Dayton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	17.5%±1.7Lowest NY: 17.9%	20.7%±2.8Highest NY: 17.9%
	Barre and Dayton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	18.5%Highest NY: 40.2%	13%Lowest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.9%±1.8Highest NY: 7%	0.9%±0.8Lowest NY: 7%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$68,553±$10kLowest 20% below NY	$73,906±$14kHighest 14% below NY
	Barre and Dayton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$111,700±$13kLowest 74% below NY	$135,900±$28kHighest 68% below NY
	Barre and Dayton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$907±$192Lowest 44% below NY	$1,158±$208Highest 29% below NY
	Barre and Dayton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,161Lowest 52% below NY	$3,466Highest 47% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	26%±17.7Lowest NY: 52.1%	60.7%±35.3Highest NY: 52.1%
	Barre and Dayton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	18.3%Lowest NY: 14%	23.4%Highest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82.8%Lowest NY: 54.3%	87.6%Highest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1954Highest 5 yrs older than NY	1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	35 minHighest 6% above NY	21 minLowest 36% below NY
Work from home	13.6%±6.7Highest NY: 14.9%	6.5%±2.8Lowest NY: 14.9%
	Dayton and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

NY 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.