Compare towns
Ryegate vs Waterville vs Barnet
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ryegate has the youngest population (median age 41.2).
Waterville has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.9%).
Barnet has the most people working from home (13.3%).
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 | Ryegate | Waterville | Barnet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,059 |
680Lowest |
1,855Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.8% VT: +2.8% |
+1.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-2.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 41.2±2.6Lowest 4% below VT |
49.1±8.2Highest 14% above VT |
47.7±5.3 11% above VT |
| Waterville and Barnet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.2%±4.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
20.4%±8.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21.6%±4.9 VT: 17.9% |
| Ryegate and Barnet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.1%±1.5 VT: 21.4% |
14.4%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
28.8%±3.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
32.1% VT: 43.8% |
35.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.4 VT: 7% |
5.3%±3.3Highest VT: 7% |
1%±0.9Lowest VT: 7% |
| Waterville and Ryegate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $66,484±$15kLowest 18% below VT |
$71,250±$27kHighest 12% below VT |
$67,386±$15k 17% below VT |
| Waterville and Barnet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $219,300±$32kLowest 31% below VT |
$236,300±$15k 25% below VT |
$247,900±$24kHighest 22% below VT |
| Barnet and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $908±$236Lowest 26% below VT |
$1,110±$93Highest 10% below VT |
$974±$72 21% below VT |
| Waterville and Barnet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,472Lowest 31% below VT |
$3,957 21% below VT |
$4,489Highest 11% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.9%±29.7 VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±27.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
59.3%±29.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Barnet and Ryegate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
4.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
79.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1949Lowest 27 yrs older than VT |
1972 4 yrs older than VT |
1974Highest 2 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 18% above VT |
38 minHighest 60% above VT |
28 minLowest 17% above VT |
| Work from home | 8.2%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
8.5%±3 VT: 16.9% |
13.3%±4.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Barnet and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Lamoille North Modified Union School District #058A | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| 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.