What stands out worked out from the figures below

Kirby has the most kids (30% under 18).

Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).

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	Kirby	Barre
People
Population	756Lowest	8,412Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	-6.2% VT: +2.8%
Median age	38.8±7.1Lowest 10% below VT	42.2±6.6Highest about the VT average
	Barre and Kirby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	30%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9%	13.5%±3.8Lowest VT: 17.9%
Age 65+	19.2%±5.1Lowest VT: 21.4%	19.4%±3.9Highest VT: 21.4%
	Barre and Kirby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	32.4%Lowest VT: 43.8%	36.1%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.6%±3.1Highest VT: 7%	3.4%±1.9Lowest VT: 7%
	Kirby and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$54,792±$21kLowest 33% below VT	$65,625±$7kHighest 19% below VT
	Barre and Kirby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$302,900±$63kHighest 4% below VT	$210,400±$15kLowest 34% below VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,250±$326Highest about the VT average	$1,093±$58Lowest 11% below VT
	Kirby and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,597Lowest 9% below VT	$5,192Highest 3% above VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	25%±100Lowest VT: 48.4%	34.4%±10.3Highest VT: 48.4%
	Barre and Kirby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	21.3%Highest VT: 10.1%	17.3%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	93.5%Highest VT: 73.2%	50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1985Highest 9 yrs newer than VT	1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	34 minHighest 43% above VT	19 minLowest 21% below VT
Work from home	20.6%±9.3Highest VT: 16.9%	10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9%
	Kirby 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	—	#19 of 70 in VT
School district	—	Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center
High school in town	—	Spaulding Union High School
Students per teacherat that high school	—	10.7
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.