What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hinesburg has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.9%).

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	Hinesburg	Barre
People
Population	4,718Lowest	8,412Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.9%Highest VT: +2.8%	-6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8%
Median age	50.1±5.2Highest 16% above VT	42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average
	Hinesburg and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9%	13.5%±3.8Lowest VT: 17.9%
	Hinesburg and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	25.8%±7.3Highest VT: 21.4%	19.4%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4%
	Hinesburg and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	64.3%Highest VT: 43.8%	36.1%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	1.3%±1Lowest VT: 7%	3.4%±1.9Highest VT: 7%
	Barre and Hinesburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$112,539±$18kHighest 39% above VT	$65,625±$7kLowest 19% below VT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$463,400±$51kHighest 46% above VT	$210,400±$15kLowest 34% below VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,651±$155Highest 34% above VT	$1,093±$58Lowest 11% below VT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,667Highest 52% above VT	$5,192Lowest 3% above VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	52.2%±29.4Highest VT: 48.4%	34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4%
	Hinesburg and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.5%Lowest VT: 10.1%	17.3%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	83.6%Highest VT: 73.2%	50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT	1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	20 minHighest 17% below VT	19 minLowest 21% below VT
Work from home	19.6%±6.8Highest VT: 16.9%	10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9%
	Hinesburg 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	#4 of 70 in VT	#19 of 70 in VT
School district	Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56	Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center
High school in town	Champlain Valley Union High School	Spaulding Union High School
Students per teacherat that high school	14.5Highest	10.7Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.