Compare towns
Proctor vs Barre vs Fairfield vs Ryegate
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Proctor has the oldest housing (typical home built 1938).
Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).
Fairfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.1%).
Ryegate has the youngest population (median age 41.2).
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 | Proctor | Barre | Fairfield | Ryegate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,794 |
8,412Highest |
1,938 |
1,059Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.3% VT: +2.8% |
-6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+8.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.8% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.4±6.4Highest about the VT average |
42.2±6.6 about the VT average |
42.3±2.7 about the VT average |
41.2±2.6Lowest 4% below VT |
| Proctor and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±4.4 VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
25.4%±5Highest VT: 17.9% |
23.2%±4.6 VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfield and Ryegate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.4%±2.5Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9 VT: 21.4% |
14.3%±1.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
22.1%±1.5 VT: 21.4% |
| Proctor and Ryegate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
36.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
30.2% VT: 43.8% |
29.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.7Highest VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
3.5%±1.6 VT: 7% |
2.4%±1.4Lowest VT: 7% |
| Proctor and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $74,167±$12k 9% below VT |
$65,625±$7kLowest 19% below VT |
$87,019±$22kHighest 7% above VT |
$66,484±$15k 18% below VT |
| Fairfield and Proctor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $209,900±$17kLowest 34% below VT |
$210,400±$15k 34% below VT |
$320,600±$22kHighest about the VT average |
$219,300±$32k 31% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,029±$202 17% below VT |
$1,093±$58Highest 11% below VT |
$1,056±$441 14% below VT |
$908±$236Lowest 26% below VT |
| Barre and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,032 20% below VT |
$5,192Highest 3% above VT |
$4,816 4% below VT |
$3,472Lowest 31% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.3%±16.2 VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3 VT: 48.4% |
29.2%±20.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
55.9%±29.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Ryegate and Proctor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 16.2% VT: 10.1% |
17.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
14.5% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7% VT: 73.2% |
50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.5%Highest VT: 73.2% |
84.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1947 29 yrs older than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1949 27 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 6% below VT |
19 minLowest 21% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
28 minHighest 18% above VT |
| Work from home | 9.4%±4.6 VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
7.8%±3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
8.2%±3.7 VT: 16.9% |
| Barre and Proctor 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 | Quarry Valley Unified Union School District #70 | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 | — |
| High school in town | Proctor Junior/Senior High School | Spaulding Union High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.7Lowest |
10.7Highest |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.