Compare towns
Ryegate vs Wells River 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 most kids (23.2% under 18).
Wells River has the most renters (52.1% rent).
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 | Wells River | Barnet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,059 |
340Lowest |
1,855Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— | -2.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 41.2±2.6Lowest 4% below VT |
42.7±12.7 about the VT average |
47.7±5.3Highest 11% above VT |
| Barnet and Wells River 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% |
17.1%±6.5Lowest 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% |
19.4%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
28.8%±3.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.1% VT: 43.8% |
16.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
35.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.4Highest VT: 7% |
0.6%±3.1Lowest VT: 7% |
1%±0.9 VT: 7% |
| Ryegate and Barnet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $66,484±$15k 18% below VT |
$38,688±$5kLowest 52% below VT |
$67,386±$15kHighest 17% below VT |
| Barnet and Ryegate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $219,300±$32k 31% below VT |
$170,800±$103kLowest 46% below VT |
$247,900±$24kHighest 22% below VT |
| Barnet and Ryegate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $908±$236 26% below VT |
$900±$336Lowest 27% below VT |
$974±$72Highest 21% below VT |
| Barnet and Ryegate 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 |
$4,154 18% below VT |
$4,489Highest 11% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.9%±29.7 VT: 48.4% |
47.6%±14.8Lowest 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% VT: 10.1% |
38.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
47.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
79.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1949 27 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1974Highest 2 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 18% above VT |
34 minHighest 43% above VT |
28 minLowest 17% above VT |
| Work from home | 8.2%±3.7 VT: 16.9% |
5.2%±9.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
13.3%±4.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Barnet and Ryegate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | — | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 |
| High school in town | — | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.