Compare towns
Royalton vs Tunbridge vs Wilder 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 highest household income ($104k).
Tunbridge has the most people working from home (25.8%).
Wilder has grown the fastest since 2010 (+81.7%).
Barnard has the most expensive homes ($403k median).
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 | Tunbridge | Wilder | Barnard |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,752 |
1,253 |
3,087Highest |
1,211Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+4.1% VT: +2.8% |
+81.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+4.8% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 43.9±10.1 about the VT average |
42.7±8.3 about the VT average |
45.5±8.9Highest 6% above VT |
42.4±6Lowest about the VT average |
| Wilder and Royalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.4%±5.8 VT: 17.9% |
21.1%±4.4 VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±4.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
26.9%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Barnard and Tunbridge 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% |
20.9%±1.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
27.3%±4.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
22%±3.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Wilder 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 VT: 43.8% |
42.9% VT: 43.8% |
60.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
55.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8%±4.2 VT: 7% |
3.6%±2 VT: 7% |
8.1%±3.9Highest VT: 7% |
2.4%±1.8Lowest VT: 7% |
| Wilder and Royalton 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 |
$89,464±$26k 10% above VT |
$75,143±$9kLowest 7% 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 |
$315,300±$23k about the VT average |
$273,200±$18k 14% below VT |
$402,600±$71kHighest 27% above VT |
| Barnard and Tunbridge 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 |
$1,346±$128 9% above VT |
$1,142±$451 7% below VT |
$1,372±$80Highest 11% above VT |
| Barnard and Tunbridge 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 |
$4,645Lowest 8% below VT |
$5,505 9% above VT |
$6,038Highest 20% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.7%±16.1 VT: 48.4% |
76.7%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
39.9%±17.2 VT: 48.4% |
27%±19.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Tunbridge and Wilder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 13% VT: 10.1% |
14.4%Highest VT: 10.1% |
9.3% VT: 10.1% |
2.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 63.5% VT: 73.2% |
84.2% VT: 73.2% |
62.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
85.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 11 yrs older than VT |
1981 5 yrs newer than VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
1971 5 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 13% below VT |
31 minHighest 31% above VT |
17 minLowest 29% below VT |
29 min 21% above VT |
| Work from home | 17.8%±7.3 VT: 16.9% |
25.8%±8.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
12.6%±6.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
19.3%±10.8 VT: 16.9% |
| Tunbridge 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 | First Branch Unified School District #82 | — | 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 | 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.