Compare towns
Dorset vs Barre vs Thetford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dorset has the most people working from home (29.3%).
Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).
Thetford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
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 | Dorset | Barre | Thetford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,092Lowest |
8,412Highest |
2,813 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5% VT: +2.8% |
-6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+7.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.9±7.5Highest 6% above VT |
42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
43.6±6.2 about the VT average |
| Dorset and Thetford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24%±5.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
15.4%±4.8 VT: 17.9% |
| Dorset and Thetford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±4.5Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
20.8%±6 VT: 21.4% |
| Dorset and Thetford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 72.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
36.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
68% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
6.7%±4.5Highest VT: 7% |
| Thetford and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $111,250±$40kHighest 37% above VT |
$65,625±$7kLowest 19% below VT |
$88,045±$16k 8% above VT |
| Dorset and Thetford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $569,200±$57kHighest 80% above VT |
$210,400±$15kLowest 34% below VT |
$329,500±$96k 4% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,420±$296Highest 15% above VT |
$1,093±$58Lowest 11% below VT |
$1,141±$96 8% below VT |
| Dorset and Thetford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,489Highest 49% above VT |
$5,192Lowest 3% above VT |
$6,948 38% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 74.4%±22.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
49.7%±30.1 VT: 48.4% |
| Dorset and Thetford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.2% VT: 10.1% |
17.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
84.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 4 yrs older than VT |
1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1978Highest 2 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 8% below VT |
19 minLowest 21% below VT |
23 minHighest 4% below VT |
| Work from home | 29.3%±7.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
13.6%±6.3 VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #19 of 70 in VT | #40 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Taconic and Green Regional School District #63 | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Thetford School District |
| 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.