What stands out worked out from the figures below

Marshfield has the highest household income ($84k).

Barton has the most renters (47.3% 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	Marshfield	Barton
People
Population	470Lowest	730Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	-6.4% VT: +2.8%
Median age	42.4±8.8Highest about the VT average	40±5.5Lowest 7% below VT
	Marshfield and Barton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19.4%±9.1Lowest VT: 17.9%	24.1%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9%
	Barton and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	10.2%±4.4Lowest VT: 21.4%	21.2%±4.2Highest VT: 21.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	35.7%Highest VT: 43.8%	21.7%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.6%±2.4Highest VT: 7%	1.9%±1.6Lowest VT: 7%
	Marshfield and Barton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$84,375±$20kHighest 4% above VT	$40,833±$8kLowest 50% below VT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$178,300±$31kHighest 44% below VT	$146,900±$30kLowest 54% below VT
	Marshfield and Barton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,125±$79Highest 9% below VT	$761±$150Lowest 38% below VT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,269Highest 35% below VT	$3,185Lowest 37% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	52.4%±62.4Lowest VT: 48.4%	58.8%±18.2Highest VT: 48.4%
	Barton and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.9%Lowest VT: 10.1%	25.8%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	81.2%Highest VT: 73.2%	52.7%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT	1945Highest 31 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minLowest 24% above VT	31 minHighest 32% above VT
Work from home	17.5%±7.2Highest VT: 16.9%	16.5%±10.4Lowest VT: 16.9%
	Marshfield and Barton 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	—	#38 of 70 in VT
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.