What stands out worked out from the figures below

Fair Haven has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.1%).

Barre has the most people working from home (10.5%).

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	Fair Haven	Barre
People
Population	2,724Lowest	8,412Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+0.1%Highest VT: +2.8%	-6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8%
Median age	39.2±7.6Lowest 9% below VT	42.2±6.6Highest about the VT average
	Barre and Fair Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19.4%±5.1Highest VT: 17.9%	13.5%±3.8Lowest VT: 17.9%
	Fair Haven and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	18.4%±4.5Lowest VT: 21.4%	19.4%±3.9Highest VT: 21.4%
	Barre and Fair Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	23.7%Lowest VT: 43.8%	36.1%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.1%±2.9Highest VT: 7%	3.4%±1.9Lowest VT: 7%
	Fair Haven and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$62,404±$16kLowest 23% below VT	$65,625±$7kHighest 19% below VT
	Barre and Fair Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$176,500±$14kLowest 44% below VT	$210,400±$15kHighest 34% below VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$830±$116Lowest 33% below VT	$1,093±$58Highest 11% below VT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,865Lowest 23% below VT	$5,192Highest 3% above VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50.9%±20.9Highest VT: 48.4%	34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4%
	Fair Haven and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	18.9%Highest VT: 10.1%	17.3%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	80.6%Highest VT: 73.2%	50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT	1947Highest 29 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 31% above VT	19 minLowest 21% below VT
Work from home	4.3%±2.5Lowest VT: 16.9%	10.5%±4.1Highest VT: 16.9%
	Barre and Fair Haven 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	#66 of 70 in VT	#19 of 70 in VT
School district	Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62	Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center
High school in town	Fair Haven Union Middle and High School	Spaulding Union High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.8Highest	10.7Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.