What stands out worked out from the figures below

Salisbury has the most people working from home (18.7%).

Barre has the shortest commute (21 min average).

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	Salisbury	Barre
People
Population	1,933Highest	1,910Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-6.5%Highest NY: +4.2%	-9%Lowest NY: +4.2%
Median age	45.7±5.3Highest 15% above NY	45.2±6.7Lowest 14% above NY
	Salisbury and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20.4%±3.5Lowest NY: 20.5%	24.4%±4.8Highest NY: 20.5%
	Barre and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	17.5%±2Lowest NY: 17.9%	20.7%±2.8Highest NY: 17.9%
	Barre and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	14.2%Highest NY: 40.2%	13%Lowest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	1.7%±1.2Highest NY: 7%	0.9%±0.8Lowest NY: 7%
	Salisbury and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$81,528±$21kHighest 5% below NY	$73,906±$14kLowest 14% below NY
	Salisbury and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$123,500±$48kLowest 71% below NY	$135,900±$28kHighest 68% below NY
	Barre and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$851±$10Lowest 48% below NY	$1,158±$208Highest 29% below NY
Property taxmedian, yearly	$1,649Lowest 75% below NY	$3,466Highest 47% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	59.6%±41.2Lowest NY: 52.1%	60.7%±35.3Highest NY: 52.1%
	Barre and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	18.1%Lowest NY: 14%	23.4%Highest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	91.4%Highest NY: 54.3%	87.6%Lowest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1970Highest 11 yrs newer than NY	1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	37 minHighest 13% above NY	21 minLowest 36% below NY
Work from home	18.7%±17.7Highest NY: 14.9%	6.5%±2.8Lowest NY: 14.9%
	Salisbury and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

NY 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.