What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hermon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+19.3%).

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	Hermon	Barre
People
Population	6,727Lowest	8,412Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+19.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	-6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	41.1±4.7Lowest 6% above U.S.	42.2±6.6Highest 8% above U.S.
	Barre and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	21.6%±4.6Highest U.S.: 22%	13.5%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Hermon and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	20.4%±4.7Highest U.S.: 17.2%	19.4%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Hermon and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	37.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	36.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.8%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4%	3.4%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Hermon and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$96,629±$22kHighest 20% above U.S.	$65,625±$7kLowest 19% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$333,600±$32kHighest about the U.S. average	$210,400±$15kLowest 37% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,406±$202Highest about the U.S. average	$1,093±$58Lowest 23% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,761Lowest 11% below U.S.	$5,192Highest 66% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	28.2%±19.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	34.4%±10.3Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Barre and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	17.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	75.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	50.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	2000Highest 20 yrs newer than U.S.	1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	23 minHighest 14% below U.S.	19 minLowest 30% below U.S.
Work from home	8.8%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	10.5%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Barre and Hermon 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	#54 of 133 in ME	#19 of 70 in VT
School district	Hermon Public Schools	Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center
High school in town	Hermon High School	Spaulding Union High School
Students per teacherat that high school	14.6Highest	10.7Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.