What stands out worked out from the figures below

Shaftsbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.2%).

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	Shaftsbury	Barre
People
Population	3,607Lowest	8,412Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+0.2%Highest VT: +2.8%	-6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8%
Median age	43±6.6Highest about the VT average	42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average
	Shaftsbury and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	26.5%±6.3Highest VT: 17.9%	13.5%±3.8Lowest VT: 17.9%
Age 65+	21.8%±4.8Highest VT: 21.4%	19.4%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4%
	Shaftsbury and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	40.9%Highest VT: 43.8%	36.1%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.1%±2.1Lowest VT: 7%	3.4%±1.9Highest VT: 7%
	Barre and Shaftsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$86,071±$24kHighest 6% above VT	$65,625±$7kLowest 19% below VT
	Shaftsbury and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$267,300±$24kHighest 16% below VT	$210,400±$15kLowest 34% below VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,079±$54Lowest 13% below VT	$1,093±$58Highest 11% below VT
	Barre and Shaftsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,015Lowest 20% below VT	$5,192Highest 3% above VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	52.7%±36Highest VT: 48.4%	34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4%
	Shaftsbury and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	9.6%Lowest VT: 10.1%	17.3%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82.3%Highest VT: 73.2%	50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT	1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minHighest 5% above VT	19 minLowest 21% below VT
Work from home	7.2%±5.3Lowest VT: 16.9%	10.5%±4.1Highest VT: 16.9%
	Barre and Shaftsbury 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	#62 of 70 in VT	#19 of 70 in VT
School district	Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87	Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center
High school in town	None in town	Spaulding Union High School
Students per teacherat that high school	—	10.7
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.