Compare towns
Royalton vs Barre vs North Bennington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Royalton has the highest household income ($104k).
Barre has the most affordable homes ($210k median).
North Bennington has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.4%).
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 | Royalton | Barre | North Bennington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,752 |
8,412Highest |
1,336Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.8% VT: +2.8% |
-6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+4.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 43.9±10.1Highest about the VT average |
42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
43.9±10Highest about the VT average |
| Kids under 18 | 14.4%±5.8Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8 VT: 17.9% |
10.4%±2.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Royalton and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.1%±6.4 VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
31.9%±8.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| North Bennington and Royalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
36.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
41.4% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8%±4.2 VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
21.6%±6.5Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $103,938±$24kHighest 28% above VT |
$65,625±$7kLowest 19% below VT |
$68,571±$10k 16% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $263,200±$73k 17% below VT |
$210,400±$15kLowest 34% below VT |
$313,000±$40kHighest about the VT average |
| North Bennington and Royalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,040±$391Lowest 16% below VT |
$1,093±$58 11% below VT |
$1,447±$278Highest 17% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,675Lowest 7% below VT |
$5,192 3% above VT |
$5,590Highest 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.7%±16.1 VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
53.7%±26.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
| North Bennington and Royalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13% VT: 10.1% |
17.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7.4%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 63.5%Highest VT: 73.2% |
50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
61.4% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Highest 11 yrs older than VT |
1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1957 19 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minHighest 13% below VT |
19 min 21% below VT |
18 minLowest 24% below VT |
| Work from home | 17.8%±7.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.3%±7.3 VT: 16.9% |
| Royalton and North Bennington 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 | #48 of 70 in VT | #19 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | White River Unified School District #79 | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | — |
| High school in town | White River Valley High School | Spaulding Union High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.7Lowest |
10.7Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.