Compare towns
Milton vs Calais 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 highest household income ($119k).
Calais has the most people working from home (23.4%).
Barre has the most affordable homes ($281k median).
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 | Calais | Barre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,769Highest |
1,713Lowest |
8,005 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+3.4% VT: +2.8% |
0%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 41.6±2.5Lowest 3% below VT |
42±8.6 about the VT average |
48.4±4.2Highest 12% above VT |
| Barre and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.6%±3.4 VT: 17.9% |
22.5%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
16.6%±3.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Calais 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% |
21.6%±5.2 VT: 21.4% |
21.7%±3.5Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Barre and Calais 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% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
39.2% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.3 VT: 7% |
7.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
2.5%±1.2Lowest VT: 7% |
| Calais and Milton 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 |
$100,625±$27k 24% above VT |
$93,210±$9kLowest 15% above VT |
| Milton and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $372,500±$20k 18% above VT |
$390,300±$36kHighest 23% above VT |
$281,400±$13kLowest 11% below VT |
| Calais and Milton 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 |
$1,408±$392Lowest 14% above 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 | $5,610 11% above VT |
$6,586Highest 31% above VT |
$4,737Lowest 6% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.1%±20.6Highest VT: 48.4% |
49%±38.3 VT: 48.4% |
42.4%±20.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Milton and Calais 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% |
8.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
2.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
88.4% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 9 yrs newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1974Lowest 2 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 18% above VT |
31 minHighest 32% above VT |
23 minLowest 4% below VT |
| Work from home | 14.6%±2.9 VT: 16.9% |
23.4%±7.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
13.7%±4.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Calais and Milton 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 | #56 of 70 in VT | — | #19 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Milton School District | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Barre Unified Union School District #97 |
| High school in town | Milton Senior High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.3 |
— | — |
| 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.