What stands out worked out from the figures below

Lenox has the most homeowners (77.2%).

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	Lenox	Barre
People
Population	8,658Highest	8,412Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-3.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	-6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	45.1±2Highest 16% above U.S.	42.2±6.6Lowest 8% above U.S.
	Lenox and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19.7%±2.6Highest U.S.: 22%	13.5%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Lenox and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	21.9%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2%	19.4%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Lenox and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	21.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	36.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.5%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4%	3.4%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Lenox and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$75,900±$8kHighest 6% below U.S.	$65,625±$7kLowest 19% below U.S.
	Lenox and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$161,600±$9kLowest 51% below U.S.	$210,400±$15kHighest 37% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$935±$83Lowest 34% below U.S.	$1,093±$58Highest 23% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,184Lowest 34% above U.S.	$5,192Highest 66% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	38.5%±9.4Highest U.S.: 51.1%	34.4%±10.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Lenox and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	10.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	17.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	77.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	50.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1955Highest 25 yrs older than U.S.	1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minHighest 7% below U.S.	19 minLowest 30% below U.S.
Work from home	8%±3Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	10.5%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Barre and Lenox 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	#412 of 484 in NY	#19 of 70 in VT
School district	ONEIDA CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT · CANASTOTA CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT	Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center
High school in town	CANASTOTA HIGH SCHOOL	Spaulding Union High School
Students per teacherat that high school	13.6Highest	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.