Compare towns
Milton vs Arlington vs Barre
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Milton has the most expensive homes ($373k median).
Arlington has the most people working from home (35.9%).
Barre has the oldest population (median age 48.4).
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 | Milton | Arlington | Barre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,769Highest |
2,598Lowest |
8,005 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.6% VT: +2.8% |
+6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
0%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 41.6±2.5 3% below VT |
37.6±4Lowest 13% below VT |
48.4±4.2Highest 12% above VT |
| Kids under 18 | 17.6%±3.4 VT: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
16.6%±3.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Arlington and Milton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±3.2 VT: 21.4% |
21.7%±3.5Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Barre and Arlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
55.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
39.2% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.3Highest VT: 7% |
3.3%±1.7 VT: 7% |
2.5%±1.2Lowest VT: 7% |
| Milton and Arlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $118,977±$10kHighest 47% above VT |
$102,308±$11k 26% above VT |
$93,210±$9kLowest 15% above VT |
| Milton and Arlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $372,500±$20kHighest 18% above VT |
$318,500±$59k about the VT average |
$281,400±$13kLowest 11% below VT |
| Milton and Arlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,536±$257Highest 24% above VT |
$1,191±$172Lowest 3% below VT |
$1,524±$399 24% above VT |
| Milton and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,610Highest 11% above VT |
$4,549Lowest 10% below VT |
$4,737 6% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.1%±20.6 VT: 48.4% |
77.1%±9.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
42.4%±20.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Arlington and Milton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.6% VT: 10.1% |
7.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
2.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.9% VT: 73.2% |
84%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 9 yrs newer than VT |
1966Lowest 10 yrs older than VT |
1974 2 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 18% above VT |
20 minLowest 13% below VT |
23 min 4% below VT |
| Work from home | 14.6%±2.9 VT: 16.9% |
35.9%±10.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
13.7%±4.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #56 of 70 in VT | #50 of 70 in VT | #19 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Milton School District | Arlington School District | Barre Unified Union School District #97 |
| High school in town | Milton Senior High School | Arlington Memorial | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.3Lowest |
10.6Highest |
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| 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.