Compare towns
Royalton vs Sheldon vs Barnard
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 most renters (36.5% rent).
Sheldon has the most homeowners (89%).
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 | Sheldon | Barnard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,752Highest |
2,267 |
1,211Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.8% VT: +2.8% |
-2.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+4.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 43.9±10.1Highest about the VT average |
40.9±3.5Lowest 5% below VT |
42.4±6 about the VT average |
| 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 VT: 17.9% |
23.7%±3.6 VT: 17.9% |
26.9%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Barnard and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.1%±6.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
12.6%±2.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
22%±3.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Royalton and Barnard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.6% VT: 43.8% |
14.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
55.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8%±4.2Highest VT: 7% |
2%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
2.4%±1.8 VT: 7% |
| 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 28% above VT |
$78,533±$25kLowest 3% below VT |
$97,581±$19k 20% above VT |
| Royalton and Barnard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $263,200±$73kLowest 17% below VT |
$272,400±$61k 14% below VT |
$402,600±$71kHighest 27% above VT |
| Barnard and Sheldon 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 |
$1,286±$379 4% above VT |
$1,372±$80Highest 11% above VT |
| Barnard and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,675 7% below VT |
$3,578Lowest 29% below VT |
$6,038Highest 20% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.7%±16.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
0%±27Lowest VT: 48.4% |
27%±19.8 VT: 48.4% |
| Royalton and Barnard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.1% VT: 10.1% |
2.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 63.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
89%Highest VT: 73.2% |
85.4% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 11 yrs older than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1971 5 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 13% below VT |
25 min 7% above VT |
29 minHighest 21% above VT |
| Work from home | 17.8%±7.3 VT: 16.9% |
13%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
19.3%±10.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Barnard and Royalton 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 | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 | 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 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.