Compare towns
Dublin vs Barre vs Peterborough
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dublin has the most homeowners (83.2%).
Barre has the most affordable homes ($210k median).
Peterborough has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.1%).
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 | Dublin | Barre | Peterborough |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,688Lowest |
8,412Highest |
6,408 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.3±8.4 27% above U.S. |
42.2±6.6Lowest 8% above U.S. |
52.1±1.9Highest 34% above U.S. |
| Peterborough and Dublin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Dublin and Peterborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25%±4.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.4%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Peterborough and Dublin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
62.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±3.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dublin and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $104,659±$14kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$65,625±$7kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$98,401±$8k 22% above U.S. |
| Dublin and Peterborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $430,500±$72kHighest 29% above U.S. |
$210,400±$15kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$404,500±$31k 22% above U.S. |
| Dublin and Peterborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,325±$165 6% below U.S. |
$1,093±$58Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$1,395±$209Highest about the U.S. average |
| Peterborough and Dublin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,165 162% above U.S. |
$5,192Lowest 66% above U.S. |
$8,655Highest 177% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.2%±8.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
34.4%±10.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
29.2%±7.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Barre and Dublin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
17.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
50.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
56.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1970Highest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
23 min 15% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22%±10.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.8%±4.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dublin and Peterborough 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 | #59 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Contoocook Valley School District | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Contoocook Valley School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Spaulding Union High School | Conval Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7Lowest |
12.0Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.