What stands out worked out from the figures below

Rutland has grown the fastest since 2010 (-4.2%).

Barre has the most people working from home (10.5%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Rutland	Barre
People
Population	15,712Highest	8,412Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-4.2%Highest VT: +2.8%	-6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8%
Median age	49±2.1Highest 14% above VT	42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average
	Rutland and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	15.5%±2.4Highest VT: 17.9%	13.5%±3.8Lowest VT: 17.9%
	Rutland and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	26.2%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4%	19.4%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4%
	Rutland and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	33.4%Lowest VT: 43.8%	36.1%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.2%±0.8Lowest VT: 7%	3.4%±1.9Highest VT: 7%
	Barre and Rutland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$57,675±$8kLowest 29% below VT	$65,625±$7kHighest 19% below VT
	Barre and Rutland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$185,500±$16kLowest 41% below VT	$210,400±$15kHighest 34% below VT
	Barre and Rutland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$995±$65Lowest 19% below VT	$1,093±$58Highest 11% below VT
	Barre and Rutland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,657Lowest 8% below VT	$5,192Highest 3% above VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	51.6%±8.2Highest VT: 48.4%	34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4%
	Rutland and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	15.3%Lowest VT: 10.1%	17.3%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	54.9%Highest VT: 73.2%	50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT	1947Highest 29 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	16 minLowest 32% below VT	19 minHighest 21% below VT
Work from home	8.1%±2.6Lowest VT: 16.9%	10.5%±4.1Highest VT: 16.9%
	Barre and Rutland 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	#51 of 70 in VT	#19 of 70 in VT
School district	Rutland City School District	Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center
High school in town	Rutland Senior High School	Spaulding Union High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.3Highest	10.7Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.