Compare towns
Royalton vs Nelson vs Barnard
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Royalton has the most renters (36.5% rent).
Nelson has the most people working from home (31.5%).
Barnard has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.8%).
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 | Royalton | Nelson | Barnard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,752Highest |
648Lowest |
1,211 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
-13.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.9±10.1Highest 13% above U.S. |
42.3±11.7Lowest 9% above U.S. |
42.4±6 9% above U.S. |
| Royalton and Barnard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.4%±5.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±6.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
26.9%±5.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Nelson and Barnard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.1%±6.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.8%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Nelson 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
61.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
55.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8%±4.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Royalton and Barnard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $103,938±$24kHighest 29% above U.S. |
$99,792±$23k 24% above U.S. |
$97,581±$19kLowest 21% above U.S. |
| Royalton and Nelson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $263,200±$73kLowest 21% below U.S. |
$340,900±$49k about the U.S. average |
$402,600±$71kHighest 21% above U.S. |
| Barnard and Nelson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,040±$391Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,203±$243 15% below U.S. |
$1,372±$80Highest about the U.S. average |
| Barnard and Nelson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,675Lowest 50% above U.S. |
$5,575 79% above U.S. |
$6,038Highest 94% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.7%±16.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±68.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
27%±19.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Nelson and Royalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 63.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 23% below U.S. |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.8%±7.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
31.5%±8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±10.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Nelson and Barnard 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 | — | — |
| School district | White River Unified School District #79 | Nelson School District | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 |
| High school in town | White River Valley High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.7 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.