Compare towns
Sharon vs Barre vs Barnet
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sharon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.9%).
Barre has the most renters (49.6% 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 | Sharon | Barre | Barnet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,577Lowest |
8,412Highest |
1,855 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-2.6% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.6±7.7 6% above VT |
42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
47.7±5.3Highest 11% above VT |
| Barnet and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21%±5 VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21.6%±4.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Barnet and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.1%±3.6 VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
28.8%±3.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Barnet and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
36.1% VT: 43.8% |
35.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.5%±0.9 VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9Highest VT: 7% |
1%±0.9Lowest VT: 7% |
| Barre and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $84,375±$17kHighest 4% above VT |
$65,625±$7kLowest 19% below VT |
$67,386±$15k 17% below VT |
| Sharon and Barnet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $346,700±$37kHighest 10% above VT |
$210,400±$15kLowest 34% below VT |
$247,900±$24k 22% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,386±$155Highest 12% above VT |
$1,093±$58 11% below VT |
$974±$72Lowest 21% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,903Highest 17% above VT |
$5,192 3% above VT |
$4,489Lowest 11% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 19.8%±17.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3 VT: 48.4% |
59.3%±29.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Barnet and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
17.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.7% VT: 73.2% |
50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
79.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1974 2 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 12% above VT |
19 minLowest 21% below VT |
28 minHighest 17% above VT |
| Work from home | 12.7%±3.7 VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
13.3%±4.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Barnet and Sharon 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 | — | #19 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Sharon School District | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 |
| High school in town | None in town | Spaulding Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7 |
— |
| 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.