Compare towns
Ira vs Barre vs Clarendon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ira has the most expensive homes ($273k median).
Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).
Clarendon has the most kids (18.6% under 18).
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 | Ira | Barre | Clarendon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 381Lowest |
8,412Highest |
2,460 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -6.2% VT: +2.8% |
-6.2% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 54.1±5.5Highest 26% above VT |
42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
52.3±4.1 21% above VT |
| Ira and Clarendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 10.5%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8 VT: 17.9% |
18.6%±5.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Clarendon and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 28.9%±3.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
27.4%±4.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Ira and Clarendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
36.1% VT: 43.8% |
25.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±3.5Highest VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9Highest VT: 7% |
1.1%±1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,827±$5kHighest 12% below VT |
$65,625±$7k 19% below VT |
$59,609±$12kLowest 27% below VT |
| Ira and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $272,900±$18kHighest 14% below VT |
$210,400±$15kLowest 34% below VT |
$220,900±$32k 30% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $942±$52Lowest 24% below VT |
$1,093±$58 11% below VT |
$1,096±$305Highest 11% below VT |
| Clarendon and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,146 18% below VT |
$5,192Highest 3% above VT |
$3,740Lowest 26% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.4%±100 VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
48.4%±27.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Clarendon and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.4% VT: 10.1% |
17.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
84.3% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 1 yr older than VT |
1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1971 5 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 20% above VT |
19 min 21% below VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
| Work from home | 2.3%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
9.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
| Barre and Clarendon 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 | — |
| School district | — | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Mill River Unified Union School District #52 |
| High school in town | — | Spaulding Union High School | Mill River Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7Highest |
9.4Lowest |
| 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.