What stands out worked out from the figures below

Derry has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.6%).

Barre has the most affordable homes ($210k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Derry	Barre
People
Population	34,116Highest	8,412Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	-6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	40.3±1.6Lowest 4% above U.S.	42.2±6.6Highest 8% above U.S.
	Barre and Derry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20.7%±2.1Highest U.S.: 22%	13.5%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	15.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	19.4%±3.9Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Barre and Derry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	37.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	36.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.1%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4%	3.4%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Derry and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$108,944±$7kHighest 35% above U.S.	$65,625±$7kLowest 19% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$432,000±$17kHighest 30% above U.S.	$210,400±$15kLowest 37% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,547±$138Highest 9% above U.S.	$1,093±$58Lowest 23% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$8,103Highest 160% above U.S.	$5,192Lowest 66% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	51.6%±9Highest U.S.: 51.1%	34.4%±10.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Derry and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	17.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	70.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	50.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S.	1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 17% above U.S.	19 minLowest 30% below U.S.
Work from home	16%±2.8Highest U.S.: 15.1%	10.5%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Derry 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	#60 of 120 in NH	#19 of 70 in VT
School district	Derry Cooperative School District · Pinkerton Academy School District	Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center
High school in town	Pinkerton Academy	Spaulding Union High School
Students per teacherat that high school	13.9Highest	10.7Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	None yet	None yet

U.S. 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.