Compare towns
St. Johnsbury vs Putney vs Barre
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
St. Johnsbury has the most kids (21% under 18).
Putney has the most expensive homes ($300k median).
Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).
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 | St. Johnsbury | Putney | Barre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,368 |
2,622Lowest |
8,412Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.8±3.8Highest about the VT average |
37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below VT |
42.2±6.6 about the VT average |
| St. Johnsbury and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21%±2.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
15.4%±4.1 VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| St. Johnsbury and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.1%±3.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9 VT: 21.4% |
| St. Johnsbury and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
36.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±2.2 VT: 7% |
20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $57,738±$9kLowest 29% below VT |
$79,706±$18kHighest about the VT average |
$65,625±$7k 19% below VT |
| Putney and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $177,700±$17kLowest 44% below VT |
$300,000±$44kHighest 5% below VT |
$210,400±$15k 34% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $914±$44 26% below VT |
$508±$482Lowest 59% below VT |
$1,093±$58Highest 11% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,916Lowest 22% below VT |
$5,313Highest 5% above VT |
$5,192 3% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48%±11 VT: 48.4% |
54.2%±19.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Putney and St. Johnsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.8% VT: 10.1% |
16%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
17.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.6% VT: 73.2% |
72.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1944Lowest 32 yrs older than VT |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
1947 29 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minHighest 17% below VT |
18 minLowest 24% below VT |
19 min 21% below VT |
| Work from home | 17.6%±4.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.9%±6.5 VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| St. Johnsbury and Putney 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 | #60 of 70 in VT | #32 of 70 in VT | #19 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | 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 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.