Compare towns
Sharon vs Waitsfield 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 the highest household income ($84k).
Waitsfield has the most people working from home (31%).
Barnet has the most affordable homes ($248k median).
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 | Waitsfield | Barnet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,577 |
193Lowest |
1,855Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— | -2.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.6±7.7Lowest 6% above VT |
74.8±13.4Highest 74% above VT |
47.7±5.3 11% above VT |
| Kids under 18 | 21%±5 VT: 17.9% |
0%±14.7Lowest 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%±3.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
71.5%±17.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
28.8%±3.8 VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.9% VT: 43.8% |
71.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
35.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.5%±0.9 VT: 7% |
5.2%±9.1Highest VT: 7% |
1%±0.9Lowest VT: 7% |
| Waitsfield 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 |
$26,384±$5kLowest 68% 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±$37k 10% above VT |
$453,100±$98kHighest 43% above VT |
$247,900±$24kLowest 22% below VT |
| Waitsfield and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,386±$155Highest 12% above VT |
— | $974±$72Lowest 21% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,903Highest 17% above VT |
$4,688 7% below VT |
$4,489Lowest 11% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 19.8%±17.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
41.1%±49.6 VT: 48.4% |
59.3%±29.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Barnet and Waitsfield 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% |
3.1% VT: 10.1% |
8.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.7% VT: 73.2% |
33.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
79.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
1974Lowest 2 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 12% above VT |
14 minLowest 40% below VT |
28 minHighest 17% above VT |
| Work from home | 12.7%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
31%±23.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
13.3%±4.5 VT: 16.9% |
| Waitsfield and Barnet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Sharon School District | — | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.