Compare towns
Panton vs Barre vs Waltham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Panton has the most kids (24.9% under 18).
Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).
Waltham has the oldest population (median age 60.8).
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 | Panton | Barre | Waltham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 690 |
8,412Highest |
452Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 42.7±3.8 about the VT average |
42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
60.8±7.3Highest 41% above VT |
| Kids under 18 | 24.9%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8 VT: 17.9% |
12.8%±7.4Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 16.7%±2.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9 VT: 21.4% |
45.4%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
36.1% VT: 43.8% |
39%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9Highest VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.1 VT: 7% |
| Barre and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $86,667±$10k 7% above VT |
$65,625±$7kLowest 19% below VT |
$97,500±$14kHighest 20% above VT |
| Waltham and Panton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $438,000±$40kHighest 38% above VT |
$210,400±$15kLowest 34% below VT |
$329,700±$51k 4% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,410±$130Highest 14% above VT |
$1,093±$58Lowest 11% below VT |
$1,096±$113 11% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,695Highest 33% above VT |
$5,192Lowest 3% above VT |
$5,714 13% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61%±39Highest VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3 VT: 48.4% |
29.2%±58.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Panton and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
17.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.7% VT: 73.2% |
50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
86.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 11% above VT |
19 minLowest 21% below VT |
28 minHighest 18% above VT |
| Work from home | 26.7%±8.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
20.6%±5.7 VT: 16.9% |
| Panton and Waltham 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 | 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.