Compare towns
Sheffield vs Barre vs Coventry
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sheffield has the most affordable homes ($172k median).
Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).
Coventry has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.3%).
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 | Sheffield | Barre | Coventry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 573Lowest |
8,412Highest |
917 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3% VT: +2.8% |
-6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.3%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42±8Lowest about the VT average |
42.2±6.6 about the VT average |
45.2±5.2Highest 5% above VT |
| Coventry and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±6.6 VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
20.2%±4.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Coventry and Sheffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.2%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9 VT: 21.4% |
22.5%±3.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Coventry and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.1% VT: 43.8% |
36.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
21.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±4.7Highest VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
3.7%±3.5 VT: 7% |
| Sheffield and Coventry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $58,333±$26kLowest 28% below VT |
$65,625±$7kHighest 19% below VT |
$59,342±$3k 27% below VT |
| Barre and Coventry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $171,900±$50kLowest 46% below VT |
$210,400±$15kHighest 34% below VT |
$197,900±$55k 37% below VT |
| Barre and Coventry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $967±$79 22% below VT |
$1,093±$58Highest 11% below VT |
$755±$108Lowest 39% below VT |
| Barre and Sheffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,123Lowest 58% below VT |
$5,192Highest 3% above VT |
$2,375 53% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.5%±41.2Highest VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3 VT: 48.4% |
1.5%±27.7Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Sheffield and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
17.3% VT: 10.1% |
19.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
82.8% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987 11 yrs newer than VT |
1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 28% above VT |
19 minLowest 21% below VT |
36 minHighest 53% above VT |
| Work from home | 6.1%±2.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
8.6%±3.7 VT: 16.9% |
| Barre and Coventry 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 | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Coventry School District |
| 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 History | 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.